South Korean defense minister Jeong Kyeong-doo is stressing the importance of a strong defense posture... in view of the recent low-altitude flybys by Japanese planes near South Korean ships.
Minister Jeong paid a visit to Fleet Command in the southern port city of Busan... on Saturday afternoon.
There, he was briefed about the string of flights... seen by South Korea as threatening.
He said those flights,... of which three more have happened since the first one late last month,... are serious provocations to a military partner like South Korea.
The minister instructed the Navy to respond... according to protocol.
He added that no country can accept such aggressive, close-range flights near its ships.