North Korea strongly condemned the deployment of U.S. B-1B strategic bombers for joint air drills with South Korea, pledging to counter what it views as America’s aggressive actions with overwhelming force.
In a statement on Wednesday, a spokesperson for North Korea’s Ministry of Defense declared that the country’s armed forces would not tolerate any threat to their national sovereignty from hostile powers.
The statement criticized the U.S. for its recent record deployment of strategic assets, including nuclear submarines, strategic bombers, and aircraft carriers, to the Korean Peninsula region.
It further asserted that these deployments have shifted from emergency measures to regular military practices, signalling a constant threat to regional security.
And emphasized that the significance of these strategic asset deployments goes beyond their increased frequency, suggesting they are part of preparations for potential military action at any moment.
The statement also warned that America’s provocative military actions, which threaten North Korea’s sovereignty and regional stability, could have severe repercussions for U.S. security interests.
North Korea cautioned that it would continue to demonstrate its overwhelming deterrent capabilities, labelling the U.S.’s unannounced deployments of strategic assets as reckless and unnecessary. The statement added that as provocations escalate, so would the severity of potential retaliation.
On Tuesday, the South Korean Ministry of National Defense (MND) confirmed that South Korea and the U.S. conducted joint air exercises involving U.S. B-1B strategic bombers.
The drills involved South Korean F-35A and F-16 jets, U.S. B-1B bombers, and F-16s.
The B-1B bomber, capable of reaching Mach 1.25 (950 mph) with a range of 12,000 km (about 7,456 miles), can deploy from Guam to the Korean Peninsula in two hours.
According to MND, the exercises aim to showcase the integrated deterrence capabilities of the ROK-U.S. alliance and enhance interoperability between the two forces in response to North Korea’s evolving nuclear and missile threats.
