JAKARTA - The militaries of South Korea and the United States began annual joint air exercises on Monday, a source said, activities also aimed at supporting diplomacy to continue dialogue with North Korea.
Held over five days, the two allies each sent about 100 aircraft, including F-15K and KF-16 fighter jets from South Korea. Also, F-16s from the United States said the source, noting that no US ground military assets were deployed.
South Korea and the United States regularly hold small-scale air exercises, since the suspension of the large-scale 'Vigiliant Ace' drill to support peace efforts on the Korean Peninsula.
South Korea's Air Force declined to elaborate on the ongoing maneuvers, but said the allied exercises were conducted in a 'balanced manner under the annual plan, citing the Korea Times Nov. 1.
North Korea has long denounced Seoul's military drills with Washington as a rehearsal for war, for invasion and used it as an excuse for provocation.
Kim Jong-un's North Korea called on allies to avoid double standards, lashing out at Seoul and Washington for defining its missile test activities as provocation, while rationalizing their own actions as deterrence.
Citing Reuters, Washington's envoy to North Korea, Sung Kim, denounced the test as "worrying and counterproductive" during his visit to Seoul last week, urging Pyongyang to accept the offer of talks.
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