Seoul: South Korea, the United States, and Japan engaged in combined air drills on Friday, aimed at strengthening their collective response to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, according to South Korea's defense ministry. The drills were conducted over international waters near Jeju Island, involving a U.S. B-52H bomber and fighter jets from South Korea and Japan.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the exercise marked the first deployment of the strategic bomber near the Korean Peninsula this year. South Korea's KF-16 and Japan's F-2 fighters participated in the operation. The defense ministry emphasized the importance of cooperation among the countries in deterring and responding to threats from North Korea, highlighting ongoing three-way training efforts.

The air drills coincided with a meeting in Seoul where top military officials from the three nations discussed security concerns and strategies to enhance trilateral security cooperation. This exercise follows another joint aerial drill conducted by the three countries on June 18, the first under the administration of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.