In this file photo provided by South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense, a U.S. Air Force B-1B bomber, F-35B stealth fighter, and South Korean F-15K fighter jet fly over the Korean Peninsula Tien during a joint exercise on September 18, 2017.
Korean Ministry of Defense via AP
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Korean Ministry of Defense via AP
In this file photo provided by South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense, a U.S. Air Force B-1B bomber, F-35B stealth fighter, and South Korean F-15K fighter jet fly over the Korean Peninsula Tien during a joint exercise on September 18, 2017.
Korean Ministry of Defense via AP
SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea added to its recent weapons demonstration by launching four ballistic missiles into the sea on Saturday, as the United States sent two supersonic bombers over South Korea. in a duel of military power that underscores rising tensions in the region.
The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said four short-range missiles fired from a western coastal area around midday flew about 130 kilometers (80 miles) toward the country’s western seaboard.
North Korea test-fired more than 30 missiles this week, including an intercontinental ballistic missile on Thursday triggered an evacuation alert in northern Japan and flew a large number of fighter jets inside the country’s territory in an angry response to a large combined air exercise between the United States and South Korea. .
The South Korean military said two B-1B bombers trained with four US F-16 fighters and four South Korean F-35 jets on the final day of the air force drills. General “Storm of Vigilance” ends on Saturday. It marks the first time since December 2017, bombers have been deployed to the Korean Peninsula. The exercise involved about 240 fighters, including advanced F-35 fighters from both countries.
North Korea’s Foreign Ministry late Friday described the country’s military actions this week as an appropriate response to the drills it called a “hysteria of military confrontation.” of America. They said North Korea would respond with the “strongest response” to any attempt by “hostile forces” to infringe upon its sovereignty or security interests.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the B-1B’s participation in the joint drills demonstrates the allies’ readiness to “severely respond” to North Korea’s provocations and America’s commitment to defend its ally with the full range of its military capabilities, including Nuclear.
The B-1B flyover used to be a familiar show of force during a period of tension with North Korea in the past. The planes were last seen in the region in 2017, in another provocative run during North Korea’s weapons shows. But the flyover has been halted in recent years as the United States and South Korea halted large-scale military exercises to support the previous Trump administration’s diplomatic efforts with North Korea and because of the COVID-19 pandemic. .
The allies resumed large-scale training this year after North Korea ramped up weapons testing at a record pace, exploiting divisions in the United Nations Security Council over Russia’s war with Ukraine as an opportunity to accelerate the development of weapons.
North Korea hates displays of US military might at close range. North Korea continues to describe the B-1B as a “nuclear strategic bomber” although the aircraft was converted to conventional armament in the mid-1990s.
Vigilant Storm was originally scheduled to end on Friday, but the allies decided to extend training to Saturday in response to a series of North Korean ballistic missile launches on Thursday, including including an ICBM that triggered an evacuation alert and halted trains in northern Japan.
Thursday’s launches came after North Korea fired more than 20 missiles on Wednesday, the most in a single day. These launches come after senior North Korean military official Pak Jong Chon made a hidden threat of a nuclear conflict with the United States and South Korea over their joint drills, which North Korea says it’s a rehearsal for a potential invasion.
On Friday, South Korea also clashed with about 80 military aircraft after tracking about 180 flights of North Korean warplanes inside North Korean territory. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korean warplanes were spotted in various areas inland and along the east and west coasts of the country, but not particularly close to the border. Korean world. The South Korean military detected about 180 flight paths between 1pm and 5pm, but it was not immediately clear how many North Korean planes were involved and whether some may have flown more than once. are not.
In a statement Friday issued by an unnamed spokesman, North Korea’s foreign ministry said the United States and South Korea had created a “severely unstable atmosphere” in the region with military drills. their affairs. They accuse the United States of mobilizing its allies in a campaign that uses sanctions and military intimidation to pressure North Korea to unilaterally disarm.
“Prolonged provocations must inevitably be followed by a lasting counter-attack,” the statement said.
North Korea has launched dozens of ballistic missiles this year, including multiple ICBMs and a medium-range missile that flew over Japan. South Korean officials say there are signs that North Korea may in the coming weeks detonate its first nuclear test device since 2017. Experts say the North is trying to force the United States to accept it. as a nuclear power and seek to negotiate economic and security concessions from a position of power.
