The U.S. military will not abandon show-of-force flights or any other military options on or near the Korean Peninsula despite North Korea’s assertion Monday it has the right to shoot down bombers outside of its borders, a Pentagon spokesman said.
“In conjunction with our iron-clad alliance with Korea and Japan, we plan on ensuring that all options are on the table to make sure we safeguard our allies and partners and our homeland,” Col. Rob Manning said when questioned about plans to continue such flights.
U.S. B-1B Lancer bombers and F-15 Eagle fighter jets flew east of North Korea on Saturday, flying farther north of the demilitarized zone on Saturday than any other mission this century. The aircraft flew over international waters where the United States has a right to operate, Manning said.
“That operation was conducted in international airspace over international waters, so we have the right to fly, sail and operate and we’re legally permissible around the globe,” he said.
The mission was “unilateral,” but the U.S. did notify both South Korea and Japan, Manning said.
North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho told reporters Monday that the regime has a right to shoot down U.S. bombers even if they’re outside its borders after Pyongyang, saying President Trump has declared war on North Korea. Last week, Trump said the U.S. would destroy North Korea if the U.S. or its allies were in danger, and this weekend said North Korean leaders “won’t be around much longer” if they continue provocative actions.
“Since the United States declared war on our country, we will have every right to make countermeasures, including the right to shoot down the United States strategic bombers, even when they are not yet inside the airspace border of our country,” Ri told reporters through a translator in New York City. “The question of who won’t be around much longer will be answered then.”
The military show-of-force flights are common on the peninsula, especially amid increasing tension over the North’s race to develop nuclear missiles. But the bomber and fighter flight along the North Korean coast over the weekend was designed to send a pointed message to the regime, the Pentagon said. Show-of-force flights are more common over South Korea, and typically include fighter aircraft from South Korea or Japan.
“We have a deep arsenal of military options to provide the president so that he can then decide how we want to deal with North Korea in the region,” Manning said.
