GUNSAN, South Korea (Reuters) — The United States and South Korea air forces conducted a joint drill on Thursday (April 20) at Gunsan Air Base, amid mounting tensions on the Korean peninsula.
About 1,500 US and South Korean pilots participated in the annual Max Thunder exercise, with 80 aircraft including F-16s and F-15Ks mobilized from both sides, in a bid to boost cooperation in combat situations.
Tension has escalated sharply on the Korean peninsula, amid concerns that reclusive North Korea may soon conduct a sixth nuclear test.
This, after Washington said over the weekend that it was diverting the aircraft carrier strike group Carl Vinson toward the Korean peninsula in a show of force.
Poverty-stricken, reclusive North Korea and the rich, democratic South are technically still at war because their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.
About 28,500 US troops are stationed in South Korea in joint defense with the South’s forces against North Korea.
