The United States flew nuclear-capable bombers to the Korean Peninsula on Friday in its latest show of force against North Korea – days after the North staged massive anti-U.S. rallies in its capital.
Long-range B-52 bombers took part in joint aerial drills with other U.S. and South Korean fighter jets over the peninsula, South Korea’s Defense Ministry said.
This comes days after tens of thousands of North Koreans marched in anti-US rallies over the weekend, pledging ‘merciless’ revenge against ‘US imperialists’ as the country marked the 73rd anniversary of the start of the Korean War.
More than 120,000 people participated in Sunday’s mass rallies in the nation’s capital, Pyongyang.
Friday’s flyover is the latest in a series of temporary U.S. deployments of strategic assets in South Korea in response to North Korea’s push to expand its nuclear arsenal.
Long-range B-52 bombers took part in joint aerial drills with other U.S. and South Korean fighter jets over the Korean peninsula, South Korea’s Defense Ministry said
Since the start of 2022, North Korea has carried out more than 100 missile tests in a bid to enlarge its arsenal of nuclear-capable missiles targeting the U.S. mainland and South Korea. PIctured: the country’s leader Kim Jong Un
People attend a mass rally denouncing the U.S. in Pyongyang, North Korea, June 25, 2023 in this photo released by North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA)
Two weeks ago, the U.S. deployed a nuclear-powered submarine capable of carrying about 150 Tomahawk missiles to South Korean waters for the first time in six years.
The USS Michigan’s arrival came a day after North Korea resumed missile tests to protest previous U.S.-South Korean drills that it views as an invasion rehearsal.
It said the allies have been demonstrating their firm resolve to strengthen combined defense postures and will continue joint drills involving U.S. strategic bombers.
The South Korean Defense Ministry said the B-52 bombers’ deployment boosted the visibility of U.S. strategic assets to the peninsula.
Meanwhile, Sunday’s rally saw a stadium full of people raising their fists in a salute while marching with streamers and banners depicting nuclear missile launches.
Photos published by the North’s Rodong Sinmun newspaper showed that many thousands of attendees were wearing Covid-19 face masks and brandishing signs that read: ‘Let’s eradicate US imperialist invaders’, and: ‘The entire US mainland is within our striking range.’
While the 1950-53 conflict was triggered by a North Korean surprise attack, the demonstrators mobilised in Pyongyang promoted their government’s version of events and accused the United States of provoking the war and leaving Koreans with ‘wounds … that can never be healed’.
The Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty, leaving the peninsula in a technical state of war.
Today, the U.S. stations around 28,000 troops in South Korea as deterrence against potential aggression by North Korea.
Since its June 15 launches of two short-range ballistic missiles, North Korea hasn’t performed any further public weapons tests – but the U.S. bombers’ deployment could prompt it to launch weapons again in protest.
Enhancing ‘regular visibility of U.S. strategic assets’ to the Korean Peninsula was part of agreements reached between U.S. President Joe Biden and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol during their summit in Washington in April.
Biden stated at the time that any North Korean nuclear attack on the U.S. or its allies would ‘result in the end of whatever regime’ took such action.
More than 120,000 people participated in Sunday’s mass rallies in the nation’s capital, Pyongyang, North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said. Shocking images showed a stadium full of people raising their fists in a salute while marching with streamers and banners depicting nuclear missile launches
In this photo taken on June 25, 2023, a banner that reads ‘The whole US mainland is in our striking range!’ is seen as residents of Pyongyang attend a mass rally to mark the ‘Day of Struggle Against US Imperialism’, on the 73rd anniversary of the three-year Korean War, which began on June 25, 1950, at the Mayday Stadium in Pyongyang
People attend a mass rally denouncing the U.S. in Pyongyang, North Korea
Since the start of 2022, North Korea has carried out more than 100 missile tests in a bid to enlarge its arsenal of nuclear-capable missiles targeting the U.S. mainland and South Korea.
The allies have responded by expanding their military exercises.
In late May, a North Korean launch of a rocket carrying its first spy satellite ended in failure, with the rocket plunging into waters soon after liftoff.
North Korea has since repeatedly pledged to attempt a second launch, saying it’s crucial for building a space-based surveillance system to cope with what it calls U.S. hostility.
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