US strategic bombers "Rockwell B-1B Lancer" flew over the Korean Peninsula in a show of force to North Korea just days after Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of leader Kim Jong-un, vowed resistance to Washington-led efforts to dismantle the North's nuclear program, the Associated Press reported.
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) often responds to the deployment of US bombers "Rockwell B-1B Lancer" and other powerful military assets with missile tests and aggressive rhetoric. The US aircraft's flight today could further anger Pyongyang, as it comes as North Korea marks a key anniversary - the 113th anniversary of the birth of its founder Kim Il-sung, the current leader's late grandfather, the AP notes.
A statement from South Korea's Defense Ministry said the US bombers were taking part in a joint air exercise aimed at improving allies' interoperability and demonstrating their deterrent capabilities against North Korea's advancing nuclear program.
The ministry in Seoul said that South Korean Air Force F-35 and F-16 multi-role fighters also took part in the maneuvers over the Korean Peninsula. The ministry said Seoul and Washington would continue to expand their joint military exercises to respond to North Korea's nuclear threats.
It was the second time a US B-1B Lancer bomber had participated in a drill with South Korea since US President Donald Trump took office in January, the AP noted.
In February, North Korea's defence ministry denounced the previous overflight as evidence of increased US provocations since Trump returned to the White House. Pyongyang has vowed to counter the strategic threat emanating from Washington with strategic means. A few days later, the DPRK conducted a cruise missile test, calling it an attempt to demonstrate its nuclear deterrence.
Trump has repeatedly said he would contact Kim Jong-un to revive diplomacy. So far, however, Pyongyang has not directly responded to the US president's invitation.
Last week, Kim Yo-jong dismissed the position of the US and its Asian allies on their declared common goal of denuclearizing North Korea, calling it "fantasy". Kim Yo-jong insisted that her country would never give up its nuclear weapons program, and the statement was in response to a recent meeting between the foreign ministers of the United States, South Korea and Japan, at which they reaffirmed their commitment to press for Pyongyang to stop its nuclear weapons program.
Kim Il-sung's birthday, celebrated as a national holiday in North Korea and known as the "Day of the Sun", is one of the most important holidays in the DPRK, where a state-sponsored personality cult treats key members of the ruling Kim dynasty as deities. Today, the country's main newspaper, "Nodong Sinmun", published an editorial urging the public to unite behind Kim Jong-un to achieve national prosperity. In recent days, North Korea has been hosting seminars, performances and other events dedicated to the founder's achievements.