North Korea has warned it will unleash “powerful” countermeasures in response to the US conducting long-range bomber flights over South Korea. The US military deployed two B-1B bombers on Tuesday as part of an aerial exercise and were joined by South Korean fighter jets.
Seoul presented this as a direct reaction to the escalating threat posed by North Korea’s expanding nuclear ambitions. Pyongyang has previously said that these joint exercises are practice for an invasion. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea’s defence ministry classed the deployment of bombers as “an open threat to the security of our state and a grave provocation that raises the military tension in the region to an extremely dangerous level.”
In a thinly veiled threat, the North Korean ministry warned that the drill would jeopardise US security, stating that North Korea “will deter by dint of powerful force the US’s aggressive attempt”. The joint exercise, which took place in South Korean airspace and involved F-35A and F-16s, is the latest in a series of demonstrations of the extended deterrence stance of both allied nations.
“This training was conducted to showcase the integrated ROK-US extended deterrence capability and strengthen the interoperability of our combined forces,” said the South’s defence ministry, referring to the country by its official name, Republic of Korea.
The drill was carried out “in response to the continuing and sophisticated threat from North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs”, it added.
The US and South Korea are known for conducting joint military drills. But North Korea views these exercises as rehearsals for an invasion, especially when the US deploys strategic assets like long-range bombers, aircraft carriers, and nuclear-powered submarines.
North Korea often responds to B-1B bomber flyovers by test-firing missiles. These bombers have the capacity to carry a substantial arsenal of conventional weapons. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula remain escalated as North Korea persists with weapons tests aimed at upgrading Kim Jong Un’s nuclear capabilities and has shown support for Russia’s war in Ukraine through arms and troop supplies.
Since taking office, President Donald Trump has frequently praised his personal relationship with Mr Kim and has shown eagerness to engage with the North Korean leader to rekindle diplomatic efforts. On 31 March, Mr Trump referred to the North Korean leader as “a very smart guy” and said North Korea is “a big nuclear nation.”
Mr Trump has claimed that “there is communication” between the leaders despite the absence of public negotiations and no public acknowledgment from North Korea regarding Mr Trump’s attempts at outreach.
The news comes after recent satellite images showed North Korea could be building its biggest warship which is twice as big as any other vessel in its naval fleet. In yet another chilling demonstration of the increasing military might of the country led by dictator Kim Jong Un, the new warship will also be the most technologically advanced.
Meanwhile an estimated 12,000 North Korean troops are believed to be fighting for Russia against Ukrainian incursions in the Kursk and Belgorod regions and Kim has so far not made any attempts to respond to the political pleasantries from the new US administration under Donald Trump.
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