S.Korea, US begin five-day military drill

By Alex Jensen

SEOUL, South Korea

South Korea and the United States began a five-day military exercise involving 12,000 personnel and over 230 warplanes Monday.

The Vigilant ACE drill was already scheduled but it comes less than a week after North Korea tested its most potent intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) to date.

24 American stealth jets are among the aircraft mobilized for the exercise, which is “aimed at enhancing the all-weather, day and night combined air power operation capabilities of South Korea and the U.S.,” according to a statement from Seoul’s Defense Ministry carried by local news agency Yonhap.

While the South was keen to point out the defensive nature of this week’s action, Vigilant ACE includes being able to strike specific North Korean targets in combat scenarios.

Pyongyang’s Foreign Ministry condemned the drill last Saturday before it even kicked off, warning U.S. President Donald Trump his country “will have to accept full responsibility” should a nuclear war break out.

By Alex Jensen

SEOUL, South Korea

South Korea and the United States began a five-day military exercise involving 12,000 personnel and over 230 warplanes Monday.

The Vigilant ACE drill was already scheduled but it comes less than a week after North Korea tested its most potent intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) to date.

While the South was keen to point out the defensive nature of this week’s action, Vigilant ACE includes being able to strike specific North Korean targets in combat scenarios.