The air exercises took place over the Yellow Sea, between the Korean Peninsula and China. Among other things, an American strategic bomber and combat aircraft with stealth technology were deployed.
“These combined air exercises demonstrate the willingness and ability of the United States to provide a broad, strong and credible deterrence against North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic threats,” South Korea’s defense ministry told Yonhap.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and his South Korean counterpart Lee Jong-sup had previously announced that they would increase the number of joint exercises. Washington and Seoul thus respond to the “continuous provocations” of North Korea, which regularly conducts missile tests.