US, South Korea hold air drills to 'display extended deterrence capabilities' against North

By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) - South Korea on Thursday held joint military air drills with the US to deter North Korean military threats, according to Seoul’s Defense Ministry.

The military exercise between the two allies marked the first joint air drill since President Donald Trump’s inauguration last month, involving at least one B-1B bomber, several South Korean F-35A and F-15K fighter jets, and US F-16 fighter jets, Yonhap News reported.

"The training was conducted to display the US extended deterrence capabilities against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats and bolster interoperability of South Korea-US combined forces," said the South Korean Defense Ministry.

The two allies along with Japan on Jan. 15 had conducted trilateral air drills, featuring two B-1B bombers alongside South Korean F-15K and Japanese F-2 fighter jets.

Separately, the South Korean Marine Corps on Wednesday conducted live drills on two islands near the inter-Korean maritime border amid heightened tensions between Seoul and Pyongyang.