The South Korean and U.S. Air Forces announced Thursday their decision to extend the period of the joint air exercise ‘Vigilant Storm’ in response to the recent «provocation» by North Korea, which launched three ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan hours earlier.
As detailed by the South Korean Air Force, the joint training — which began on October 31 and should end on November 4 — will be extended in time, although the two countries have yet to agree on how long, Yonhap news agency has learned.
The decision was prompted by recent missile launches by North Korea, which on Wednesday alone fired nearly 20 missiles, one of which flew over the maritime demarcation line between the two Koreas for the first time since the war between the two countries, setting off anti-aircraft sirens on one of the South Korean islands.
The ‘Watchful Storm’ is composed of about 140 F-35A, F-15K, KF-16 fighters of the South Korean Air Force, as well as KC-330 tankers, and F-35B fighters from the United States, the agency said.
