Seoul, Feb 20 (EFE).- South Korea and the United States armies carried out joint aerial exercises on Thursday in which at least one US strategic B-1 bomber took part, in a new show of strength in the face of the weapons developments by North Korea.
During the exercises, the first of its kind this year, South Korean F-35 and F-15 fighters were also deployed, as well as US F-16 fighters, the South Korean Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
The maneuvers were aimed at demonstrating extended deterrence against North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, and strengthening the interoperability of the combined forces of South Korea and the US, according to the ministry added.
This was the first aerial exercise between the two countries since President Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
In mid-January, other trilateral joint exercises were held between Seoul, Tokyo and Washington, also with a US B-1 aircraft along with Japanese and South Korean fighter planes.
North Korea responded to those exercises by threatening to intensify its countermeasures in “self-defense” in the face of what it considers hostile movements by its enemies. EFE
co-ahg/sc