TOKYO, Feb 20 (KUNA) -- South Korea and the US on Thursday held combined air drills, involving at least one B-1B bomber in a show of force against North Korean military threats, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing Seoul's Defense Ministry.
South Korean F-35A and F-15K fighter jets and U.S. F-16 fighters also took part in the combined drills, which marked the first such exercise between the allies this year.
"The training was conducted to display the US extended deterrence capabilities against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats and bolster interoperability of South Korea-US combined forces," the ministry said in a release.
Under close coordination, the allies will seek to strengthen their cooperation by continuously expanding combined drills to deter and counter North Korean threats, it added. The latest exercise marked the first combined air drills between the allies with the B-1B bomber following US President Donald Trump's return to the White House last month.
The North has vowed to bolster its nuclear forces since Trump took office on Jan. 20. At a year-end meeting of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea late December, Pyongyang pledged to take the "toughest" counteraction strategy against Washington. (end) mk.mt