B-52 mission to S. Korea demonstrates U.S. commitment to stand by allies: U.S. Air Force

美폭격기 B-52 첫 국내 착륙 현장공개 주한미군 한반도 방위 및 확장억제 강조 The U.S. Air Force showcased its strategic bomber on Thursday,.. saying its deployment to the Korean Peninsula is incredibly important in showing U.S. commitment to the defense of South Korea. This comes as the bomber made a rare landing at a South Korean air base. Our defense correspondent, Choi Min-jung, explains the significance. The United States’ nuclear-capable bomber, the B-52, landed in South Korea on Tuesday at an airbase in the city of Cheongju. It was the bomber’s first-ever landing at a Korean airbase and did so after flying over Seoul Air Base at the opening ceremony of ADEX, or the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition 2023. The bomber had previously been deployed over the Korean Peninsula for joint air drills, but had never before landed on Korean soil. Speaking to the press on Thursday, the U.S. Air Force explained that it was proud to be able to participate in the event, to demonstrate U.S. commitment. “The B-52 mission is part of our overall support to the airshow, for example the ADEX, but it is part of our demonstration to the Republic of Korea and its people and its government that we stand by our allies, that we have an ironclad commitment to secure the peace and stability of this region. That is incredibly important to us.“ The U.S. Air Force also highlighted the strengths of the B-52. “We have various mission sets, such as strategic attack, air interdiction, close air support, and obviously we also support the nuclear enterprise. So we are very flexible and I think the unique thing about the B-52 is the fact that we can support so many different mission sets.“ On the same day, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Kim Seung-kyum, was given a tour of the B-52 bomber. Kim emphasized that the deployment of the strategic bomber demonstrates Washington’s will and ability to fulfill its ironclad defense and extended deterrence commitments on the Korean Peninsula,.. amid heightened nuclear threats from North Korea. The Joint Chiefs of Staff stressed that it is also part of U.S. efforts to increase the “regular visibility“ of strategic assets on the Peninsula. The bomber conducted a combined air exercise with South Korea’s F-35A fighters on Tuesday. And it is also expected to take part in the first-ever joint air drills between South Korea, the U.S., and Japan this weekend. Choi Min-jung, Arirang News. #SouthKorea #UnitedStates #Strategic_bomber #B_52 #AirForce #대한민국 #미국 #공군 #폭격기 #Arirang_News #아리랑뉴스 📣 Facebook : 📣 Twitter : 📣 Homepage : 2023-10-19, 21:00 (KST)