US says it has no plans to permanently deploy F-35A jets in South Korea

ANKARA

The US military has no current plans to permanently deploy F-35A fighter jets to South Korea, a US Air Force spokesperson said Wednesday.

The statement came amid reports that the US is considering permanently stationing the radar-evading aircraft in South Korea, Yonhap News Agency reported.

It was reported that Washington had plans to permanently deploy one squadron of the jets at Kunsan Air Base, a US installation in Gunsan city, some 275 kilometers (170 miles) south of Seoul.

"There are no current plans to permanently assign US F-35As at Kunsan Air Base," the spokesperson was quoted as saying by Yonhap News Agency.

Previously, US F-35 jets were temporarily deployed to South Korea for joint air drills.

South Korea currently operates 39 F-35As with plans to acquire 20 more.

*Writing by Aamir Latif