South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the air demonstration involved 16 South Korean planes – including F-35A stealth fighters – and four U.S. F-16 fighter jets and was aimed at demonstrating their ability to swiftly respond to North Korean provocations. Since taking power in 2011, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has accelerated his weapons development despite limited resources. Russia and China vetoed a U.S.-sponsored resolution that would have imposed additional sanctions on North Korea over its previous ballistic tests on May 25. North Korean state media have yet to comment on Sunday’s launches. South Korean activist Park Sang-hak, a North Korean defector who for years have launched anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets by balloon across the border, said his group on Tuesday flew 20 balloons carrying medicine, masks and vitamin pills to help North Korean civilians.

Source: The North Africa Journal June 07, 2022 17:40 UTC