Trilateral Drill Held by US, South Korea, and Japan in Response to North Korea Missile Test
The drill showcased the ongoing readiness of the three nations to address North Korea’s advancing nuclear and missile programs, as stated by officials.
The United States participated in a trilateral exercise with Japanese and South Korean military forces on November 3, shortly after North Korea’s launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) for the first time in nearly a year.
This training session involved the United States flying the B-1B bomber—a highly versatile, multi-mission weapon system capable of carrying the largest conventional weapons payload in the Air Force inventory—alongside South Korean and Japanese fighter jets near the Korean Peninsula.
It represented the second trilateral aerial training of the year by South Korea, the United States, and Japan, underscoring their continued commitment and readiness to respond to North Korea’s advancing nuclear and missile programs, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.
South Korea’s military reported that this year marked the fourth time the United States flew the B-1B bomber over or near the Korean Peninsula.
The recent exercise took place following North Korea’s test of the newly developed Hwasong-19 ICBM on October 31, which was reportedly its most powerful and advanced missile to date.
Experts cautioned that the missile, which reached an altitude of 7,000 kilometers during an 87-minute flight before landing in the sea off the east coast of the Korean peninsula, could potentially reach targets in the mainland United States if fired from a normal trajectory, although technological challenges remain for North Korea to deploy functional ICBMs capable of delivering nuclear strikes on the U.S. mainland.
North Korean Soldiers Deployed to Kursk
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was present during the missile launch, labeling the rocket as “the world’s strongest strategic missile,” according to state news agency KCNA.
The launch drew widespread condemnation from the United States, South Korea, and Japan, further heightening tensions after North Korea dispatched thousands of soldiers to Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine.
Washington officials estimate that up to 10,000 North Korean soldiers have arrived in Vladivostok, with around 8,000 deployed to Russia’s Kursk region, expected to engage in combat soon.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently urged Western allies to provide additional assistance to Ukraine following the deployment of North Korean troops, emphasizing the need for long-range capabilities from countries like the United States, the UK, and Germany to address the escalating situation.
Zelenskyy highlighted Pyongyang’s ballistic missile test, describing it as having a “record flight time and sufficient altitude,” connecting the ambitions for warfare between Pyongyang and Moscow.
Stephen Katte, the Associated Press, and Reuters contributed to this report.
