- South Korea and the United States flew 20 fighter planes over the waters.
- 20 F-35A, F-15K and FK-16 fighters, as well as US F-16s flew over the Yellow Sea.
- There are concerns that Pyongyang is preparing to conduct a new nuclear test.
Tuesday, in retaliation for Pyongyang’s latest missile launches, South Korea and the United States flew 20 fighter planes over the waters west of the Korean Peninsula in an aerial display of force directed at North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Following North Korea’s launch of eight short-range ballistic missiles on Sunday, the allies sent the jets—South Korean F-35A, F-15K and FK-16 fighters, as well as US F-16s—over the Yellow Sea, also known as the West Sea in South Korea, on Tuesday morning.
South Korea’s Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. “South Korea and the US have demonstrated their strong ability and will to strike quickly and accurately against any North Korean provocations by demonstrating their combined defense capabilities and posture through this combined air force demonstration flight.
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The flights took place amid fresh concerns that Pyongyang is about to conduct a new nuclear weapons test.
On Monday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that North Korea may have unlocked a gate to its subterranean nuclear testing facility.
The assessment that North Korea might be prepared to resume underground nuclear testing at its Punggye-ri site last month was based in part on satellite images that showed signs of personnel and vehicle activity there.
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This report came in the wake of that assessment from US military and intelligence agencies.
All six of North Korea’s nuclear tests to date have taken place at Punggye-ri, which was partially demolished in 2018 as part of an agreement between Pyongyang, Washington, and Seoul.
