South Korea's Deployed F-22 Returns Due to Bad Weather... Joint Air Exercise on 22nd Canceled

Training Canceled Due to Heavy Snow Forecast

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] The U.S. military's "world's strongest" F-22 stealth fighter, deployed to South Korea, canceled additional joint air exercises due to worsening weather conditions and returned on the 21st.

According to military authorities, the F-22 stealth force that landed at Gunsan Air Base the previous day returned to the U.S. military base in Japan on the afternoon of the 21st, considering the deteriorating weather this week. The Korea-U.S. joint air exercise scheduled for the 22nd was also canceled.

The F-22 stealth fighter flew to South Korea for the first time in four years the previous day, and the B-52H strategic bomber was also deployed near the Korean Peninsula, conducting joint Korea-U.S. exercises in the Korean Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ) southwest of Jeju Island alongside the Republic of Korea Air Force's F-35A and F-15K fighters.

After the joint exercise, the B-52H returned, but the F-22 landed at Gunsan Air Base. The F-22 force was scheduled to remain in the country this week and conduct joint exercises with the ROK Air Force's F-35A, focusing on strengthening capabilities to respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. However, due to heavy snowfall across the country and forecasts of snow centered on Chungcheong, Honam, and Jeju on the 22nd, additional exercises were canceled.

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