US and South Korea complete joint air exercise as Washington reasserts itself

Drills rescheduled from November take place after North Korean missile launches and confusion over Kim Jong-un

US maintaining strategic deterrence, experts say, with denuclearisation dialogue with the North stalled

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The South Korean and US air forces take part in joint exercises annually, but had postponed those due to take place last November. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 9:00pm, 24 Apr 2020Updated: 11:19pm, 24 Apr 2020

The United States and South Korea wrapped up a five-day joint air exercise on Friday amid heightened tension on the Korean peninsula, following missile launches by the North and uncertainty about the health of its leader Kim Jong-un.

The squadron-level drills – part of the two countries’ annual exercises, but skipped in 2019 – came with North Korea having launched at least five missile tests this year. The North has also denied US President Donald Trump’s claim to have recently received a letter from Kim.

“This is an annual, typical combined exercise designed to improve execution of our joint operations. The length and the size of the exercises are on par with those of previous years,” Yonhap News Agency quoted a South Korean Air Force official as saying.

F-15K and KF-16 fighter jets from South Korea and F-16s from the US side took part in the exercises, according to officials.

The US and South Korea postponed their air exercises last November to support diplomacy with Pyongyang, with the US urging North Korea to reciprocate the goodwill by returning to stalled nuclear talks.