A formation of four U.S. F-22 stealth fighters swept through the skies of South Korea on Wednesday as the militaries of South Korea and the US flexed their muscles against North Korea following its nuclear and missile tests.
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“In yet another show of force against North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, the United States military plans to deploy four F-22s to the Korean Peninsula tomorrow (Wednesday)”, a defense official was quoted as saying by Yonhap news agency Tuesday.
The F-22 Raptor is a core US strategic weapon. North Korea last month also conducted a nuclear test. Both developments put the country further along it its quest for a nuclear armed missile that could reach the U.S. mainland. The flyover comes weeks before the two allies are set to kick of their annual joint military drills. Washington, Seoul and others consider the launch a prohibited test of missile technology.
North Korea responded last Thursday by shutting down the last symbol of inter-Korean cooperation project, expelling South Korean workers from there and freezing all of South Korean assets in Kaesong, while cutting off the remaining inter-Korean communications hotlines.
The president of South Korea has threatened tough action against the North to help it come to the “bone-numbing realisation” that nuclear activity will only bring about its downfall.
She also said the South has sent more than 2.68€ billion in government and civilian aid to the North since mid-1990s. Pyongyang has long accused Washington and Seoul agitating for its collapse.
The move comes as the US and South Korea discuss possibly deploying a missile defence system in the South.
During the upcoming negotiations on the THAAD deployment, Park said, her country will strengthen cooperation with the United States and Japan, while laying stress on consulting with China and Russian Federation.
Seoul officials said North Korea was able to divert Kaesong payments because the workers were not paid directly.
South Korea’s president, Park Guen-Hye, has made it a priority to build a strong working relationship with her Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, and was the only leader from any of the major allies of the U.S.to attend a Beijing military parade marking 70 years since the end of World War II.
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The official added that the upcoming Key Resolve and Foal Eagle exercises in March and April would aim to improve such capabilities.
