South Korea, the United States, and Japan are conducting joint air exercises as part of efforts to strengthen a joint response to nuclear and missile threats from North Korea, Yonhap News reported, citing South Korea's Ministry of Defense, writes UNN.
Details
According to the ministry, the exercises took place over international waters off the southern South Korean island of Jeju. They involved at least one American B-52H bomber, as well as South Korean KF-16 fighters and Japanese F-2 fighters. This was the first deployment of a strategic bomber near the Korean Peninsula this year.
Based on close coordination, the three countries will cooperate to jointly deter and respond to North Korea's threats, continuing trilateral training
The exercises took place amid another meeting of the three countries' top military officers in Seoul to discuss the security situation and ways to strengthen trilateral security cooperation.
This came less than a month after South Korea, the US, and Japan conducted joint air exercises on June 18, which were the first such exercises held under the Lee Jae-myung government.
What preceded
US Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman General Dan Caine emphasized the importance of security cooperation between South Korea, the US, and Japan to restore deterrence against North Korea's and China's "unprecedented" military buildup.
The high-ranking military official made the statement during a trilateral meeting in Seoul with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts, Admirals Kim Myung-soo and General Yoshihide Yoshida.
Our focus in the United States remains on restoring deterrence, and this requires trilateral cooperation between our three countries. North Korea and China are experiencing an unprecedented military buildup with a clear and unambiguous intention to move forward in achieving their own goals. We need to keep this in mind, we need to be able to demonstrate resolve, be enterprising and proactive in our partnerships
Addition
In May, China significantly increased military activity around Taiwan, deploying dozens of ships daily. The number of vessels reached 70 per day, including aircraft carriers, which is a record.