Seoul, South Korea (CNN) — South Korea and the United States put on an air force show for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Tuesday, flying 20 fighter jets over the waters west of the Korean peninsula in response to Pyongyang’s recent missile tests.
The allies sent the planes, South Korean F-35A, F-15K and US FK-16 and F-16 fighters, over the Yellow Sea, known as the West Sea in South Korea, on Tuesday morning following Korea The North will launch eight short-range ballistic missiles on Sunday.
“South Korea and the US have demonstrated their strong ability and willingness to quickly and accurately attack any North Korean provocation by demonstrating their combined capabilities and defense postures through this combined air force demonstration flight.” the South Korean Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.
Fighter jets from the South Korean and US air forces fly over the Yellow Sea, or West Sea, on Tuesday morning.
The flights came amid renewed fears that Pyongyang is regarding to conduct a new nuclear weapons test.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Monday that North Korea may have opened an access road to its underground nuclear test site.
That report follows an assessment by US military and intelligence agencies last month that North Korea may be ready to resume underground nuclear tests at its Punggye-ri site, according to satellite images showing signs of activity. of personnel and vehicles there.
Punggye-ri, which has been the site of all six of North Korea’s nuclear tests to date, was partially dismantled in 2018 as part of a deal between Pyongyang, Washington and Seoul.
North Korea’s nuclear weapons program has been banned by the United Nations, and Pyongyang has not tested a nuclear weapon since 2017.
But this year it has repeatedly tested missiles that might possibly carry a nuclear warhead, including intercontinental ballistic missiles that might reach the continental United States. Sunday’s launch of eight ballistic missiles was the 17th time this year that the Kim regime has conducted such tests.
South Korea and USA they responded on monday with eight missile launches of their own, the third time this year they have conducted retaliatory missile tests.
Displays of South Korea’s fighter jet arsenal are not uncommon.
Twice this year, Seoul has shown off its fleet of F-35A stealth fighters, with dozens of planes lined up on a tarmac in what the military calls “elephant rides,” a hardware display meant to send a message to would-be adversaries. .
Seoul’s tone toward North Korea’s aggression has hardened since the election of South Korea’s new president, Yoon Suk Yeol, who took office on May 10. Yoon has constantly emphasized his desire to strengthen the South’s armed forces, unlike his predecessor Moon Jae-in, who had promoted dialogue and peaceful reconciliation.
Yoon promised to answer “firmly and severely” to North Korea’s provocations during a Memorial Day speech in South Korea on Monday.