Why the US had to withdraw B-52 aircraft from joint exercises with South Korea
(Baonghean.vn) - The South Korean Ministry of Defense said B-52 bombers will not participate in the US-South Korea Max Thunder exercise taking place from May 11 to 25.
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A B-52 takes off from a base in Oklahoma in 2014. Photo:Wiki |
According to the original plan, this exercise had the participation of 100 aircraft including F-22 fighters, F-15K F-16s and B-52 bombers.
Moon Chung-in, special security adviser to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, said the decision was made in an emergency meeting between South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo and General Vincent Brooks, commander of US forces in the country. The two sides met for about 40 minutes to discuss Pyongyang's abrupt cancellation of a high-level meeting with Seoul in protest at the drills.
North Korea has long been angered by joint US-South Korea military exercises, which it sees as a rehearsal for an invasion. Pyongyang has also threatened to cancel the summit with the US, but the White House has held out hope that the meeting will still go ahead.