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Two Korean F-35A fighter jets (bottom two), US B-1B strategic bombers (large aircraft in middle) and US F-22 and F-35B fly in a joint air exercise over the sea off Korea’s western coast on Feb. 1. (courtesy of the Ministry of National Defense)

South Korea and the US conducted a joint air drill off the western coast of Korea on Wednesday that involved the participation of US advanced fighter jets and strategic bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

This was the first US strategic weapon deployment held on the Korean Peninsula in 2023. This drill followed a vow made by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday, in which he promised to deploy more strategic weapons to the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea strongly protested the move, saying that “the DPRK will take the toughest reaction to any military attempt of the US on the principle of ‘nuke for nuke and an all-out confrontation for an all-out confrontation!’”

The strengthening of South Korea-US extended deterrence — known also as the nuclear umbrella — and the opposition demonstrated by North Korea are exacerbating the crisis on the Korean Peninsula.

The Ministry of National Defense stated on Thursday that “a drill focused on enhancing the ability and interoperability of South Korea-US Air Force on North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats was conducted over the West Sea with our F-35A fighter jets, US B-1B strategic bombers, F-22 and F-35 fighter jets on Wednesday.”

This exercise was conducted in a way that the US strategic bomber operation was supported by its ally, South Korean fighter jets. The B-1B strategic bomber is thought to be able to play a key role in a South Korean counterattack against North Korea in the event of an emergency in the Korean Peninsula.

Jeon Ha-kyu, the spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, stated in a press conference with both domestic and international journalists that “this shows the US’s steadfast will to act on extended deterrence in South Korea and shows the ability of the South Korea-US alliance.”

The exercise took place the day after the Minister of Defense Lee Jong-sup and his US counterpart met in Seoul on Tuesday. At the joint press conference that took place after the meeting between the two defense chiefs, Austin stated, “You heard me talk about some of the things that we've done in the past. We deployed fifth-generation aircraft, F-22s, F-35s, and also deployed a carrier strike group to visit the peninsula. You can look for more of that kind of activity going forward.”

This exercise also seems to have taken place in order to quell public discourse surrounding South Korea’s independent nuclear armament, which was instigated by President Yoon Suk-yeol’s claim that, if the situation surrounding North Korea’s nuclear weapons becomes even more serious, South Korea could also start to possess its own nuclear weapons. The president’s comments were then reiterated by conservatives claiming that the nuclear umbrella presents a broken security tactic, since the US’ extended deterrence will do nothing in the event of a crisis on the Korean Peninsula.

Thursday’s drill marked the first time in 43 days that US strategic weapons have been deployed on the Korean Peninsula since the US F-22 and South Korean F-35A fighter jets participated in the deployment of US B-52H strategic bombers near the Korean Peninsula on Dec. 20, 2022.

Austin’s remarks about strategic weapons triggered pushback from North Korea.

“The US Secretary of Defense openly declared that the US would deploy more strategic assets such as the fifth generation stealth fighters and nuclear carriers, unhesitatingly talking about the use of nuclear weapons against the DPRK [North Korea],” North Korea said in a statement attributed to the Foreign Ministry spokesperson that was published on the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) early on Thursday morning.

“This is a vivid expression of the US’ dangerous scenario which will result in turning the Korean peninsula into a huge war arsenal and a more critical war zone,” the statement went on.

The spokesperson said that “the DPRK will take the toughest reaction to any military attempt [by] the US on the principle of ‘nuke for nuke and an all-out confrontation for an all-out confrontation!’”

The North Korean statement also criticized the plans announced by the South Korea and American defense ministers.

“The US is going to ignite an all-out showdown with the DPRK through continued combined drills whose scale and scope are largely extended, including a ‘drill for operating extended deterrence’ and the largest-ever field mobile live shell firing drill simulating the use of nuclear weapons, together with South Korea from February.”

“The US [is] so shameless as to seek to gain time by touting dialogue with the DPRK under a deceptive signboard that it has no intent to be hostile toward the DPRK, while pursuing the most heinous hostile policy towards the DPRK,” the ministry’s spokesperson said, noting that “the DPRK is not interested in any contact or dialogue with the US as long as it pursues its hostile policy and confrontational line.”

These remarks were in line with North Korea’s legal endorsement of its nuclear policy last September and leader Kim Jong-un’s adoption of a hardline stance against the US consisting of “the principles of strength against strength and an all-out confrontation in the fight against our enemies” in the sixth plenary session of the Eighth Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (Dec. 26-31, 2022), in which he laid out his plans for the coming year.

“We have made clear we have no hostile intent toward the DPRK (North Korea) and seek serious and sustained diplomacy,” responded a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, who said that the military has planned “routine exercises,” according to Reuters.

With neither side likely to back down, tensions are expected to keep rising on the Korean Peninsula.

There are indications that North Korea is preparing for a large-scale military parade on the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Korean People’s Army on Feb. 8 and the 81st Day of the Shining Star (the birthday of former leader Kim Jong Il) on Feb. 16. The combination of North Korea’s show of force and the South Korea-US military exercises is likely to send the crisis index soaring.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula were elevated when North Korea shot off several ballistic missiles during the South Korea-US “Vigilant Storm” annual aviation exercise, which was held in late October and early November.

By Lee Je-hun, senior staff writer; Kwon Hyuk-chul, staff reporter

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]