SEOUL, July 9: US Air Force authorities on Friday denied local media reports that an American U2 spy plane had crashed in South Korea. "There was no accident involving US aircraft today," Arthur Bosker, a spokesman of the 7th US Air Force based in Osan, south of Seoul, said.

Another senior United States military official maintained: "All US aircraft are safe on the ground. The reports are not true." Local media including YTN cable news televisions earlier reported that a high altitude surveillance plane had crashed on the southern outskirts of Seoul without providing further details.

But YTN later corrected its report through an anchor who said: "The report turns out to be not true." A U2 crashed in January last year in a remote region south of Seoul. The US pilot survived unharmed while three people on the ground were injured.

Around 37,000 American troops are based in South Korea to help counter any threat from North. Pyongyang has accused US spy planes of increasing surveillance missions over the country since President George W. Bush took office. -AFP