U.S., South Korea conduct joint air exercises

April 24 (UPI) -- The United States and South Korea conducted joint air exercises this week as rumors swirled Kim Jong Un may be in poor health.

The air drills are replacement exercises for Vigilant Ace, a large-scale joint exercise that began in 2015, South Korean news service Newsis reported Friday.

The drills follow months of scaling back exercises in the wake of diplomatic engagement with the North. Washington and Seoul had agreed to cut back joint training and rename some of the exercises in 2018, but Pyongyang rejected talks the following year and pledged to develop more powerful weapons in January.

On Friday, South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo suggested the drills were being held because of rising North Korean flight activity.

"North Korea's inspections of artillery-focused combat readiness and the North Korean air force's flight activities are increasing, leading to increased military tension," Jeong said.

Seoul's military had also said Pyongyang's air force was "active" following the launches of suspected cruise missiles on April 14.

According to Newsis, North Korean MiG and Sukhoi jet fighters in training recently launched air-to-ground weapons in the East Sea, while North Korean aircraft conducted "unprecedented" drills in the West Sea.

Pro-engagement South Korean groups condemned the air exercises on Friday.

The South Korean Committee on the June 15 Joint Declaration said the military authorities are "once again compromising the spirit of the agreement in the Panmunjom Declaration and the U.S.-North Korea Singapore Statement."

The joint air exercises are practicing moves for a pre-emptive strike, the committee said.

South Korea continues to offer U.S. dollar loans to local banks as part of a currency swap agreement with the United States.

The Bank of Korea conducted a fifth auction of $4 billion in loans, according to News 1 on Friday.

South Korea previously signed a currency swap deal with the United States, in 2008.