Report: N. Korea Fired Laser at U.S. Warplanes

According to the report, the laser attack occurred at about the same time that four North Korean jets intercepted a U.S. spy plane and attempted to force it to land in North Korea.

Ironically, North Korea's official radio last week accused the United States of using laser weapons in Iraq, including arms that "blind the enemies' eyes and incapacitate weapons' sights."

Army Col. Samuel T. Taylor, a spokesman for U.S. Forces Korea, said the helicopter incident happened during a routine training mission: "Two USFK pilots were alerted by onboard laser-detecting equipment that laser systems may have illuminated their aircraft. Neither pilot was injured and no equipment was damaged."

According to officials, the two Apache attack helicopters were airborne about two miles south of the mile-wide DMZ when the sensors sounded their alarms.

U.S. intelligence officials told the Times that an internal analysis of the incident suggests North Korea has acquired Chinese-made ZM-87 anti-personnel lasers, devices designed for use against troops that can cause injuries to human eyes at a range of just under two miles.

The Apache pilots and crew were not wearing laser eye protection when the incident occurred.

Both the laser attack and the jet interception occurred around the time the U.S. announced it was sending 21 B-1 and B-52 bombers to Guam in response to the growing threat of North Korea and the latest crisis over Pyongyang's nuclear arms program.

Since the incident, air crews patrolling the DMZ have been required to wear eye protection intended to thwart any laser attacks. According to the Times, U.S. military personnel have been injured or threatened in the past by laser attacks.

That intelligence report warned that laser weapons such as the ZM-87 can be used against troops on the ground but also are effective in potentially crippling air operations -- the psychological effect of lasers on operational forces representing one of the most unpredictable aspects of the threat to air operations.

Meanwhile, Adm. Thomas Fargo, the commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific has said U.S. military capabilities to deal with North Korea are such that the military is considering an adjustment in the positioning of U.S. forces on the peninsula.

The repositioning, reportedly farther south of the DMZ, is one of the subjects of the talks between Bush and the S. Korean president.