US B-1B bomber crosses South Korea in show of force

By Alex Jensen

SEOUL

The U.S. flew a B-1B supersonic bomber over South Korea on Wednesday in a further warning after North Korea tested its biggest and most powerful missile to date.

The flight was part of a huge U.S. and South Korean aerial exercise involving more than 200 warplanes, Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

The five-day drill, which began Monday, is aimed at testing the allies’ air combat readiness amid North Korea’s escalating nuclear threat.

“Through the drill, the South Korean and U.S. air forces displayed the allies’ strong intent and ability to punish North Korea when threatened by nuclear weapons and missiles,” the South Korean military said in a statement reported by Yonhap news agency.

Two B-1B bombers flew over the South early last month in an increasingly familiar show of force to North Korea.

Following last week’s Iong-range missile test, Pyongyang boasted that it was capable of a nuclear strike anywhere in the U.S.

The South Korean military said the Hwasong-15 missile had the potential to strike targets as far away as 13,000 kilometers (8,100 miles), which would put Washington within reach.

The North tested a different intercontinental ballistic missile twice in July and conducted its most powerful nuclear test in September.

Despite the lack of dialogue between Seoul and Pyongyang, South Korean President Moon Jae-in told religious leaders Wednesday he was “not all pessimistic” about the current situation.

Moon is due to head to Beijing next week for talks with President Xi Jinping.