US, South Korea stage joint air exercise after North Korea鈥檚 ICBM launch

North Korea fired on Saturday a Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile into the sea off Japan鈥檚 west coast in a 鈥榮udden launching drill.鈥� (KCNA via KNS)
  • South Korea鈥檚 F-35A, F-15K and US F-16 fighters escorted American B-1B bombers during joint exercise
  • Exercise comes a day after North Korea launched a long-range ballistic missile into the sea off Japan鈥檚 west coast

SEOUL: The United States and South Korea held a joint air exercise involving US strategic bombers on Sunday, a day after North Korea fired a Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in a 鈥渟udden launching drill.鈥�
South Korea鈥檚 Joint Chiefs of Staff said the exercise, where South Korea鈥檚 F-35A, F-15K and US F-16 fighters escorted American B-1B bombers, demonstrated the allies鈥� 鈥渙verwhelming鈥� defense capabilities and readiness posture.
鈥�(The exercise) strengthened the combined operation capability and affirmed the United States鈥� ironclad commitment to the defense of the Korean Peninsula and the implementation of extended deterrence,鈥� the South鈥檚 military said in a statement.
Japan鈥檚 Fuji News Network said Japan and the United States were also likely to conduct a joint air drill as early as Sunday afternoon.
The US-South Korea exercise comes a day after North Korea launched a long-range ballistic missile into the sea off Japan鈥檚 west coast, following a warning of a strong response to upcoming military drills by South Korea and the United States.
North Korea鈥檚 state media KCNA said the country conducted a 鈥渟udden launching drill鈥� on Saturday in an 鈥渁ctual proof鈥� of its efforts to turn the 鈥渃apacity of fatal nuclear counterattack on the hostile forces into the irresistible one.鈥�
Leader Kim Jong Un鈥檚 sister, Kim Yo Jong, issued yet another warning and bristled at the United States for trying to turn the UN Security Council into what she called a 鈥渢ool for its heinous hostile policy鈥� toward Pyongyang.
鈥淚 warn that we will watch every movement of the enemy and take corresponding and very powerful and overwhelming counteraction against its every move hostile to us,鈥� she said in a statement.
Saturday鈥檚 missile launch, the North鈥檚 first since Jan. 1, came after Pyongyang threatened on Friday an 鈥渦nprecedentedly persistent, strong鈥� response as South Korea and the United States gear up for annual military exercises as part of efforts to fend off the North鈥檚 growing nuclear and missile threats.
The North Korean state news agency said the missile had flown for 1 hour, 6 minutes and 55 seconds, as high as 5,768km, before accurately hitting a pre-set area 989km away in open waters. Hwasong-15 was first tested in 2017.
Japanese said on Saturday the missile had plunged into waters inside its exclusive economic zone.
Nuclear-armed North Korea fired an unprecedented number of missiles last year, including ICBMs capable of striking anywhere in the United States, while resuming preparations for its first nuclear test since 2017.
South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin said Saturday鈥檚 launch 鈥渃learly鈥� signals the North鈥檚 intent to conduct additional provocations.
鈥淚f North Korea conducts the seventh nuclear test, which could happen at any time, it will be a game changer in a sense that North Korea could develop and deploy tactical nuclear missiles,鈥� Park told the Munich Security Conference on Saturday.
The launch, guided by the Missile General Bureau, was conducted on an 鈥渆mergency firepower combat standby order鈥� given at dawn, followed by a written order from Kim Jong Un at 8 a.m. (2300 GMT on Friday), KCNA said. South Korea鈥檚 military said it detected the missile at 5:22 p.m. (0822 GMT)
鈥淭he important bit here is that the exercise was ordered day-of, without warning to the crew involved,鈥� said Ankit Panda, a missile expert at the Washington鈥揵ased Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. 鈥淭he amount of time between the order and the launch is likely going to be decreased with additional testing.鈥�
The military unit got an 鈥渆xcellent mark鈥� over the drill and the North鈥檚 ruling party 鈥渉ighly appreciated the actual war capacity of the ICBM units which are ready for mobile and mighty counterattack,鈥� KCNA said.
Analysts say North Korea is likely to conduct more weapons tests, including a possible new solid-fuel missile which could help the North deploy its missiles faster in the event of a war.
North Korea鈥檚 ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programs are banned under UN Security Council resolutions, but Pyongyang says its weapons development is necessary to counter 鈥渉ostile policies鈥� by Washington and its allies.