SEOUL, April 15 (UPI) -- The United States deployed B-1B strategic bombers over the Korean Peninsula in joint air drills with South Korea, Seoul's military said Tuesday, the latest show of force by the allies against growing North Korean threats.
"This was a training exercise to demonstrate South Korea-U.S. integrated extended deterrence capability and strengthen the interoperability of combined forces in order to respond to the continuous threat of North Korea's increasingly sophisticated nuclear and missile programs," the Defense Ministry said in a press release.
"South Korea and the United States will continue to expand joint exercises based on close coordination to deter and respond to North Korea's threats," the ministry said.
Other aircraft participating in the exercise, which was held on the birthday of North Korean founder Kim Il Sung, included South Korean F-35A and F-16 fighter jets and U.S. F-16s. A ministry official told reporters that the military could not confirm the number of B-1Bs taking part, but photos showed two of the long-range bombers flying in formation with other aircraft.
The drills marked the second deployment of B-1B bombers to the peninsula since President Donald Trump returned to office. After a February joint air exercise, Pyongyang's Defense Ministry warned it would "counter the strategic threat of the U.S. and other enemies with strategic means."
"Since the emergence of the Trump administration, the U.S. and its vassal forces are getting evermore pronounced in their military provocations threatening the security environment of the DPRK," the ministry said, using the official acronym for North Korea.
Days later, the North test-fired strategic cruise missiles in what it called a demonstration of its nuclear deterrence capabilities.
Pyongyang has maintained an antagonistic tone toward the United States despite speculation that Trump may look to revive nuclear negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
During Trump's first term, the two leaders held a pair of high-profile summits and met briefly a third time at the DMZ. The diplomatic outreach failed to result in a nuclear deal, however, and Pyongyang has accelerated the development of its weapons programs in the intervening years.
At the beginning of April, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that there has been communication with North Korea and that the two sides would "probably do something at some point."
"I have a very good relationship with [Kim]," Trump said. "I think it's very important. He's a big nuclear nation and he's a very smart guy."
Washington has maintained its official position calling for the complete denuclearization of North Korea, recently reiterating the stance in a joint statement with the top diplomats of South Korea and Japan.
Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of the North Korean leader, said the latest call for Pyongyang to eliminate its nuclear arsenal was "nonsensical" and a "daydream."
Concern continues to grow in Seoul and Washington over North Korea's close military ties with Russia. Pyongyang has sent several thousand soldiers to support Moscow's war against Ukraine, along with ammunition and missiles.
In exchange, Russia is sharing advanced nuclear, missile and space technology and materials with the North, the commander of U.S. Forces Korea said last week.
"Russia's expanded cooperation will enable advancements of DPRK's weapons of mass destruction program across the next three to five years," Army Gen. Xavier Brunson wrote in a statement to the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Brunson added that reducing U.S. troop presence in South Korea would be "problematic" for security in the region.
