North Korea warns of "strong suppression" against U.S. provocations
B-1B deployment heightens military tensions on the Korean Peninsula
North Korea threatened that it will "strongly suppress the United States' aggressive intentions" following the successive deployments of the U.S. B-1B strategic bombers on the Korean Peninsula.
On the 16th, a spokesperson for North Korea's Ministry of Defense stated in a commentary, "The recent military provocations by South Korea and the U.S. are blatant threats to national security and serious provocations that escalate regional military tensions to an extreme level."
Earlier, South Korea and the U.S. conducted joint aerial exercises with the deployment of the U.S. B-1B bomber. This marks the second time the B-1B, one of the U.S.'s key strategic air assets, has been deployed to the Korean Peninsula since the start of the second Trump administration.
Nicknamed the "Death's Swan," the B-1B bomber is a supersonic strategic bomber capable of flying at a top speed of Mach 1.25 (1,530 km/h) and a maximum range of 12,000 km. It can be deployed from the Guam U.S. military base to the Korean Peninsula within two hours. Although it does not carry nuclear weapons, it can be equipped with up to 57 tons of armaments and has stealth capabilities, allowing it to strike enemy territory covertly. This makes it one of the aerial strategic assets that North Korea finds particularly concerning.
The Ministry of Defense seemed to take this into account, stating, "The repeated appearances of the B-1B reaffirm the reality that the only actors unilaterally raising military tension levels on the Korean Peninsula are the United States and its followers," and emphasized, "We strongly warn that the U.S.'s bluffing military actions could also cause serious negative consequences for its own security situation."
Meanwhile, from today until May 2, the South Korea-U.S. Air Forces are conducting a large-scale joint aerial exercise called "Freedom Flag." This exercise involves about 90 aircraft from both countries, including South Korea's F-35A, F-15K, KF-16, FA-50, F-5, KA-1, KC-330, C-130, CN-235, E-737, and the U.S. Air Force's F-16, EA-18G, E-3G, KC-135, MQ-9, as well as the U.S. Marine Corps' F-35B. Over 1,100 operational and support personnel are participating. Through this exercise, the South Korea-U.S. Air Forces plan to enhance interoperability and cultivate capabilities for conducting joint missions during wartime.
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