[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence photo] US Strategic Bomber Returns

The U.S. strategic bomber B-1B returned to the Korean Peninsula after 16 days, demonstrating its 'deterrence power against North Korea.' The joint air training conducted over the Korean Peninsula included two B-1Bs departing from Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, U.S., along with South Korea's Air Force F-35A stealth fighters and U.S. Air Force F-16 fighters.

The two B-1Bs conducted joint air training with Japan before the South Korea-U.S. exercise. The deployment of the B-1B to the Korean Peninsula came 16 days after the joint air training over the West Sea and central inland areas on the 3rd of this month, and just three days after North Korea launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

As North Korea's provocations have become more frequent recently, the deployment of U.S. strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula has also increased. South Korea and the U.S. have agreed to 'deploy U.S. strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula in a timely and coordinated manner as needed.' The B-1B's deployment coincided with North Korea's short-range ballistic missile launch earlier that morning. However, the military explained that the B-1B's deployment and the joint air training were pre-planned schedules linked to the FS and are not directly related to North Korea's missile provocations.

The timing of North Korea's ballistic missile launch was just before the B-1B entered the Korean Peninsula operational area. It is presumed that North Korea detected this, but it proceeded with the military provocation regardless of the deployment of U.S. strategic assets.

The Ministry of National Defense stated, "Through this exercise, South Korea and the U.S. demonstrated a solid combined defense posture and the 'operationalization of extended deterrence,' while significantly enhancing the interoperability of the South Korea-U.S. Air Forces, rapid response force deployment capabilities, and strong strategic strike capabilities during wartime."

Additional provocations by North Korea are expected in response to the deployment of the U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier linked to the FS and the South Korea-U.S.-Japan maritime exercises, but South Korea and the U.S. intend to proceed with the exercises as planned.

Following North Korea's ballistic missile launch, the Joint Chiefs of Staff stated, "Our military will maintain a firm readiness posture based on the capability to overwhelmingly respond to any provocations by North Korea, while conducting planned joint exercises and training rigorously and thoroughly under a solid combined defense posture."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.