The United States flew a long-range bomber on Sunday during a trilateral exercise with South Korea and Japan in response to North Korea’s recent test firing of a new aircraft. intercontinental ballistic missile This is intended to attack the American mainland, according to the army of the South.
On Thursday, North Korea launched the newly developed Hwasong-19 ICBM in the country’s first test in nearly a year.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered the missile test and was at the launch site, calling the launch “an appropriate military action” to demonstrate North Korea’s determination to respond to the moves of its enemies that threaten security of the North, according to the Ministry of Defense. .
The missile flew higher and stayed in the air longer than any other missile North Korea has fired.
On Sunday, the US flew the B-1B bomber to train with South Korean and Japanese fighter jets near the Korean Peninsula, demonstrating the three countries’ determination and willingness to respond to North Korea’s advancing nuclear and missile programs. The staff wrote this in a statement.
U.S. Air Force/South Korea Ministry of Defense via AP
The trilateral air training was the second by South Korea, the US and Japan this year, the statement said.
The US often responds to major North Korean missile tests by temporarily deploying some of its powerful military assets, such as long-range bombers, aircraft carriers and nuclear-powered submarines, on and near the Korean Peninsula. North Korea typically reacts angrily to such U.S. actions, calling them part of a U.S.-led plot to invade the North and conduct additional weapons tests.
The US has flown the B-1B bomber over or near the Korean Peninsula four times this year, according to the South Korean military. A B-1B can carry a large load of conventional weapons.
Thursday’s Hwasong-19 test, North Korea’s first ICBM test in nearly a year, showed progress in North Korea’s missile program. However, many experts say North Korea still needs to overcome a number of technological challenges to acquire functioning ICBMs capable of carrying out nuclear strikes on the US mainland. The experts said the Hwasong-19 seen in photos and videos from North Korean state media appeared too large to be useful in a war.
The ICBM test was seen as an attempt to gain US attention ahead of this week’s US presidential election and in response to international condemnation of North Korea’s reported deployment of thousands of troops to Russia to support its war against Ukraine , say observers.
North Korea last tested an intercontinental ballistic missile in December 2023when it launched the solid-fuel Hwasong-18.
