US, Japan, South Korea to hold first joint air force exercise

South Korea plans to hold its first joint air force drills with the United States and Japan this weekend, in an effort to strengthen trilateral security cooperation.

South Korean media today quoted a source saying that the three-way joint air exercise is scheduled to take place on October 22. "The exercise will include formation flights, with fighter jets from the three countries escorting B-52 bombers," South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted a source as saying.

US B-52 strategic bombers landed in South Korea on October 17. This is the first time US B-52s have landed at a South Korean air base.

The US has repeatedly deployed B-52 bombers, one of its strategic assets capable of carrying nuclear weapons, over the Korean peninsula to participate in joint exercises with South Korea, but has never landed on the country's territory.

South Korean F-35A fighter jets escorted US B-52 bombers during an exercise on October 17. Photo: South Korean Air Force — South Korean F-35A fighter jets escorted US B-52 bombers during an exercise on October 17. Photo: *South Korean Air Force*

During a parliamentary hearing last week, General Kim Seung-kyum, chairman of the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, announced plans to hold joint exercises with the United States and Japan as part of efforts to expand trilateral security coordination.

The move comes after the leaders of the US, Japan and South Korea agreed to strengthen security cooperation to deal with "the growing nuclear and missile threats from North Korea" following a summit at Camp David in August.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have recently escalated due to increased military activity in the region. The US, South Korea and Japan recently conducted a maritime interdiction exercise in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula.

The US aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and its escort warships docked at Busan, South Korea on October 12 to participate in joint exercises with allies to show off force against North Korea.

North Korea later criticized the US aircraft carrier's visit, calling it a "blatant military provocation that escalates the situation into a catastrophic one" and warning that "the danger of nuclear war is imminent."

Nguyen Tien (According to Yonhap )

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