The United States flew nuclear-capable B-52 bombers over the Korean Peninsula Friday in its joint aerial drills with South Korea. The latest show of force followed after North Korea staged an anti-US rally to commemorate the beginning of the Korean War.
In a statement, the South Korean Defense Ministry said the B-52 flyover was part of a series of temporary US deployments of strategic assets in the country in response to the North's expanding nuclear weapons program. It added the B-52 deployment boosted the visibility of US strategic assets to the peninsula, demonstrating their firm resolve to strengthen combined defense postures and would continue joint drills involving US strategic bombers.
While North Korea has not made any public weapons tests since June 15, the deployment of US bombers could be a reason for them to resume missile testing.
US President Joe Biden and his South Korean counterpart Yoon Suk Yeol made an agreement to enhance the "regular visibility of U.S. strategic assets" to the peninsula during their Washington summit in April.
Two weeks ago, the US deployed its Ohio-class nuclear-powered guided missile submarine USS Michigan to South Korean waters for the first time in six years after Pyongyang resumed missile tests to protest previous US-South Korean drills, which it perceived as a pretext for an invasion. Michigan is capable of carrying about 150 Tomahawk missiles aboard.
In late May, North Korea attempted to launch its first spy satellite in orbit, which ended in failure. Pyongyang has repeatedly said it would attempt a second launch, saying it was crucial to build a space-based surveillance system to cope with what it called US hostility.
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