The U.S., South Korea and Japan conducted their first joint air exercise near the Korean Peninsula on Sunday, involving a U.S. B-52H strategic bomber and fighter jets from each country. The exercise took place south of the peninsula, in South Korea and Japan's overlapping air defense zones. It’s part of the trilateral efforts agreed upon during the August Camp David summit to enhance defense capabilities against North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, showcasing the cooperative stance among the nations involved.

This exercise follows the commitment made by U.S. President Joe Biden, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for regular, multi-domain trilateral drills. Despite North Korea’s criticism of these activities as provocations, the countries proceeded with their security commitments. The strategic deployment aligns with the U.S. promise to enhance the regular visibility of its strategic assets in the region amid continuing tensions with North Korea.