South Korea says another Japanese military aircraft has made a threatening, low-altitude flight toward a South Korean naval ship. 

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff held an emergency press conference on Wednesday and said a P-3 patrol aircraft from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force flew in front of South Korean destroyer Daejoyeong near Ieodo reef off the south coast at around 2:03 p.m.

Seo Wook, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff's operational headquarters, said the Japanese plane flew as low as 60- to 70-meter high in altitude, only 540 meters away from the South Korean vessel, despite clear perception of the ship’s identity. 

He strongly denounced the move, calling it a clear provocation. 

The incident comes a month after a Japanese P-1 aircraft made a low-altitude flight toward South Korean destroyer Gwanggaeto in the East Sea on December 20th when the vessel was in the middle of rescuing a drifting North Korean ship.  

Two other similar incidents reportedly took place earlier this month, including on Tuesday.