S. Korea, US Hold Air Drills With B-1B Bombers

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) TOKYO, April 15 (KUNA) -- South Korea and the US on Tuesday staged joint air drills involving US B-1B bombers over the Korean Peninsula, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing Seoul's Defense Ministry.
The exercise, which also mobilized South Korean F-35A and F-16 fighter jets and US F-16s, took place to demonstrate the allies' capabilities to respond to North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile threats, according to the ministry.
The drills coincided with the 113th birth anniversary of North Korea's late state founder Kim Il-sung; a major national holiday in the North. "In order to deter and respond to North Korea's threats, South Korea and the US will continue to expand combined exercises and strengthen the level of cooperation of the South Korea-US alliance," the ministry said. The ministry did not specify the number of B-1Bs deployed, but photos of the drills showed two US long-range heavy bombers flying in formation with fighter jets.
The allies' exercise marked the second one of its kind this year after similar drills on February 20. North Korea has often reacted angrily to the deployment of US strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula, accusing Washington of raising tensions. Pyongyang threatened to use "strategic means" to counter threats from the US after the allies' February drills. (end)
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