The US and allies are retaliating with military exercises of their own

South Korea is conducting joint military exercises with the US in response to North Korea’s missile launch. The South Korean military says it is engaged in precision bombing exercises with two allies.

North Korea launched a missile for the first time in five years that flew over Japan and landed in the Pacific Ocean off Japan’s border. This is North Korea’s fifth missile test in the last ten days. US and South Korean intelligence agencies believe Kim Jong-un is preparing for a nuclear test.

Countries including Japan, South Korea, and the United States have strongly condemned the missile test. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken says cooperation and security in the East Asian region will be ‘very strong’.

During the exercise, eight warplanes are active in the Yellow Sea with the aim of targeting ‘a virtual enemy’. The US and South Korea want to show they can ‘resolutely respond’ to Pyongyang’s actions.

Read more North Korean missile over Japan, US wants ‘strong’ response