North Korea Calls B-52 Bomber Landing on Korean Peninsula a "Nuclear War Provocation"

B-52H Strategic Bomber Makes First Domestic Landing
Capable of Nuclear Armament... "A Strategic Asset Feared by North Korea"
North Korea: "US Intentional Provocation... Our Primary Target for Annihilation"

The scene of the United States' representative strategic bomber B-52H 'Stratofortress' landing on the Korean Peninsula for the first time was revealed, prompting North Korea to retaliate, calling it "a deliberate nuclear war provocation by the United States." They also threatened it as the "first target for annihilation."

On the 20th, the Korean Central News Agency mentioned the B-52H's first domestic landing in a commentary, stating, "The United States must be aware that the Korean Peninsula is legally in a state of war, and strategic assets entering enemy territory are naturally the first targets for annihilation." The B-52H deployed on the Korean Peninsula this week carried out joint air exercises and other schedules before landing for the first time at our Air Force base in Cheongju, Chungbuk.

US Strategic Bomber B-52H, First Landing in South Korea
[Photo by Joint Chiefs of Staff]

The B-52, capable of nuclear armament, is considered one of the three major strategic bombers of the U.S. Air Force along with the B-1B 'Lancer' and B-2 'Spirit,' and is evaluated as the U.S. strategic asset most feared by North Korea. It can carry up to 31 tons of bombs, including air-to-ground missiles equipped with nuclear warheads with a range approaching 200 km, and is known to be able to fly over 6,400 km, bomb targets, and return.

North Korea stated, "What is even more serious is that the U.S. Air Force leaders appeared at the Cheongju Air Force base where the B-52 is stationed, bringing along lackeys such as the puppet Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman and Air Force Chief of Staff, openly uttering threats of preemptive strikes," and argued, "This is a deliberate nuclear war provocation by the United States, which is cornered both domestically and internationally."

The U.S. Air Force B-52H strategic bomber and the Republic of Korea Air Force F-35A stealth fighter conducted joint aerial training on the 17th.
[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

They continued, "We consider this a grave military movement of a nuclear preemptive attack aimed at the physical removal of our state and are sharply monitoring it." They also threatened, "The era when the right to preemptive strike was the 'exclusive property' of the United States is already over," adding, "Since the United States and the 'Republic of Korea' gangsters have provoked nuclear war against our republic, our choice will correspond accordingly."

Meanwhile, this first domestic landing of the B-52H bomber was carried out as part of strengthening the extended deterrence execution capability between South Korea and the U.S., following an agreement to operate U.S. strategic assets at a level equivalent to 'permanent deployment.' Vanessa Wilcox, Lieutenant Colonel and Commander of the U.S. Air Force's 96th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, emphasized in an interview with the press the day before, "The first landing at a South Korean Air Force base signifies that we have truly established an 'integrated partnership' with South Korea."

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