1981 Daekanese-Urranese conflict

1981 Daekanese-Urranese conflict
Clockwise from the top left: KJ-3 being launched by DPN Yulyeong, the DPN Geonjanghan sinking after being struck by Urranese missiles, a downed Urranese F-4 viewed from a JS-9s gun camera, the [TBD] on patrol
Date 2 March 1981 - 24 March 1981 Location East Daekan Sea/Tsushima Sea Result Ceasefire
Belligerents
Daekan Supported by:	Urran Supported by:
Commanders and leaders
Hong Tae-Hyun (Premier, Commander-in-Chief) Chun Ji-Hu (Minister of Defence) Won Jong-Su (Commander of the DPAN) <br	Hayato Igarashi (Prime Minister, Commander-in-Chief) Xi Li Mai (Minister of Defence) Yoshio Okada (Grand Admiral of the Navy)
Casualties and losses
1 destroyer sunk, 1 frigate heavily damaged, 2 aircraft shot down, 41 dead	TBD

The 1981 Daekanese-Urranese conflict, known in Daekan as the East Sea Incident (Daekanese: 동해 사고; Donghae sago) and in Urran as the Battle of Tsushima (Urranese: 対馬の戦い;Tsushima no tatakai), was an undeclared, 22-day long period (March 2 to March 24) of skirmishes between the People's Socialist Republic of Daekan and the Constitutional Republic of Urran. The conflict started when a Daekanese fighter flight got into a mock dogfight with Urranese fighters after the former got too close, with one of the sides opening fire soon after. The short conflict was mainly fought with naval and air forces on both sides, and ended in a ceasefire agreement signed on the 24th of March, 1981.

Background

The more aggressive and ambitious diplomatic posture the PSRD adopted in the 70s, emboldened by its rapid economic recovery, had severe repercussions in its relations with foreign powers, including Urran. Despite Urran's rather isolationist stance, it was viewed as a potential threat by the Daekanese leadership ( it was first mentioned as such, however, in the Forward Defence strategy adopted in 1966) on account of its "reactionary government" and sizable military, as well as its relations with Daekanese rivals such as Esgonia and Yamatai. The result was increased alert of Daekanese naval and air forces assigned to the East Daekan Sea, in particular the East Sea Fleet itself. Overflights of Urranese military as well as civillian vessels by Daekanese fighters and maratime patrol aircraft was also common. Actions like this increased from 1978, with the beginning of the Sixth 5-year plan.

However, with the catastrophic concequences to Daekanese economy that the failure of the Seventh 5-year plan brought about by 1980, Daekanese mentality shifted from ambitious posturing to desparate paranoia. The worsening relations with Daekan's formerly tusted partners such as Azenyanistan and Kirana also contributed to this. Many in Premier Hong Tae-Hyun's government suggested that Daekan should not allow potential threats to take advantage of the country's worsening economic situation. It was proposed that Daekan should project strength to ensure its security and make any potential aggression against it seem too costly. This resulted in the further intesification of naval and air patrols in both the East and the South seas, as well as on the Esgonian border.