Sections
Log in
Top News
U.S. News World News Featured Voices
Odd News
Entertainment
Movies Music TV
Sports
Soccer NFL NBA MLB NHL Golf Horse Racing Tennis Col. Football Col. Basketball
Photos
News Entertainment Sports Features Archives
More...
Defense Featured Science Health Archive Almanac
About Feedback
About Feedback
Search
Trending
9/11 fund
Payless
Theodore McCarrick
Jussie Smollett
Illinois shooting
Iran attack
Laurie Hernandez
'Alexa & Katie'
Nigeria election
Colin Kaepernick
Stephen Curry
YNW Melly
World News
May 16, 2018 / 9:49 AM

B-52 bomber excluded from drills after North Korea complains

By
Elizabeth Shim
The B-52 strategic bomber and eight F-22 Raptors will not be deployed during drills in South Korea. File Photo by Edgar Dominguez/EPA

May 16 (UPI) -- Joint exercises between the United States and South Korea will move forward but the B-52 strategic bomber and eight F-22 Raptors will not be deployed during drills.

The decision to downscale the drills was reached between U.S. Forces Korea Commander Vincent Brooks and South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo Wednesday, after North Korea criticized the joint exercise Max Thunder being held in the South, News 1 reported.

Pyongyang's criticism of the United States and South Korea came as a surprise to the South Korean military.

Song canceled all official activities on Wednesday to hold emergency meetings with Brooks and relevant ministries in response to the North's KCNA statement.

RELATED North Korea threatens to pull out of U.S. summit; cancels talks with South

Brooks and Song's decision to reduce the size of the exercises came after a 30-minute meeting.

Max Thunder is an annual drill between the two allies and runs for 15 days from May 11 to May 25.

The exercises take place in air bases in Osan, outside Seoul, and also in a southwestern province.

RELATED CIA Korea head paved way for Kim Jong Un, Mike Pompeo meeting

Pentagon spokesman Col. Robert Manning told Voice of America the purpose of the drills is to improve defense on the Korean Peninsula.

Those annual drills include Max Thunder and Foal Eagle, which took place in April.

North Korea did not condemn Foal Eagle during the weeks leading up to the inter-Korea summit on April 27.

RELATED North Korea officials in China get schooled on economic growth

KCNA questioned the upcoming U.S.-North Korea summit on Wednesday.

The United States will "have to undertake careful deliberations about the fate of the planned North Korea-U.S. summit in light of this provocative military ruckus," the statement read.

President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un are scheduled to meet on June 12 in Singapore.

  • Topics
  • Robert Manning
  • Donald Trump
  • Kim Jong Un
  • North Korea
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more UPI news and photos.

Trending Stories

Pentagon chief to review funds to shift for building border wall
Baltimore judge overturns $38M award to family in police killing case
Nauert withdraws from U.N. ambassador consideration
Canadian missionaries, nurses, tourists evacuated from Haiti
Payless to close all 2,100 U.S. stores

Photo Gallery

 
Kacey Musgraves, Lady Gaga win at the Grammys

Latest News

Lorraine Bracco to star in BBC comedy 'Jerk'
Teen who joined IS in Syria gives birth, seeks return to Britain
Born to be Blue: Baby delivered aboard JetBlue flight
British airline Flybmi ceases operations, cancels all flights
Bette Midler to perform 'Place Where Lost Things Go' at the Oscars
 
Back to Article
/
Back to top
About UPI Contact Feedback Advertisements Submit News Tips
Copyright © 2019 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of UsePrivacy Policy