North Korea has issued a stern warning after the United States flew long-range bombers over the Korean Peninsula, deeming the act a “grave provocation” that undermines regional stability. The US flew two B-1B strategic bombers on Tuesday in combined aerial drills with South Korean fighter jets, as Seoul called the act a direct response to Pyongyang’s developing nuclear weapons program.
South Korea’s Defense Ministry said the exercises, involving American F-16s and South Korean F-35A fighter jets, were intended to strengthen the “extended deterrence” of the US-South Korea alliance. “This exercise was carried out to show the combined capabilities of our two countries’ integrated deterrence and to increase combined force interoperability,” the ministry added.
In a report broadcast over state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea’s Defense Ministry criticized the deployment of the bomber as “an open threat” and “extremely dangerous,” threatening that it would be countered with “powerful force.” The ministry also asserted that the drill would undermine US national security.
North Korea habitually calls such exercises invasion rehearsals, specifically complaining about the participation of US strategic assets such as bombers, aircraft carriers, and nuclear submarines. In the past, Pyongyang has answered similar exercises with missile firings.
Tensions in the Korean Peninsula continue to be high as North Korea proceeds to advance its nuclear program and has reportedly engaged in military assistance to Russia in its conflict against Ukraine.
In spite of the increasing hostility, former President Donald Trump has lately boasted about his personal rapport with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. In a March 31 statement, Trump described Kim as “a very smart guy” and used the term “a big nuclear nation” to refer to North Korea, saying that channels of communication are still open, though no public diplomatic negotiations are in progress.
The episode serves to underscore the precarious state of security dynamics in the region under nuclear threats and geopolitical instability.
