韩国通讯社援引不具名的军方消息来源报道,美国B1-B战略轰炸机星期三在美韩联合空军演习中将飞过朝鲜半岛。
美国和韩国星期一开始为期5天的“警戒王牌”(Vigilant Ace)军事演习。朝鲜加紧核武器研发并试射弹道导弹之际,朝鲜半岛局势趋向紧张。
这次年度美韩军演将罕见地有大批美国最新一代隐身战机参加。一星期前,朝鲜刚刚试射了迄今为止射程最远的洲际弹道导弹,有可能打到美国东岸。
包括美国海军和海军陆战队在内的1万2000美军将参加与韩国的军演。
美国第七航空队说,演习不是对任何具体事件或挑衅的反应。
朝鲜一贯使用严厉的措辞谴责美韩军演,称其为入侵朝鲜的准备。
朝鲜半岛的紧张局势引人担心。联合国主管政治事务的副秘书长费尔特曼罕见地访问朝鲜。
联合国发言人说,费尔特曼在访问期间将与朝鲜外相李容浩讨论双方感兴趣和关心的问题。费尔特曼的访问和美韩军演都将于星期五结束。
American B-1B Lancer bombers will fly over the Korean Peninsula Wednesday in the combined air force exercise with South Korea, South Korean Yonhap News Agency reported Tuesday citing an unidentified military source.
The U.S. and South Korea began a five-day drill, called Vigilant Ace, on Monday amid increased tensions with North Korea over its nuclear program and recent ballistic missile tests.
The annual exercise, which will include an unusually large number of the latest generations of American stealth fighter jets, comes a week after North Korea test-fired its most powerful missile, an ICBM possibly capable of reaching the U.S. East Coast.
Around 12,000 U.S. service members, including from the Marines and Navy, will join South Korean troops.
The U.S. Seventh Air Force has said the exercise is not in response to any incident or provocation.
North Korea routinely uses strong language to denounce U.S.-South Korean military exercises that it claims are preparations for an invasion of the reclusive country.
The high tensions on the peninsula are raising concerns, prompting the United Nations’ political affairs chief Jeffrey Feltman to make a rare trip to Pyongyang.
A U.N. spokesman said Feltman will discuss “issues of mutual interest and concern” with Foreign Minister Ri Yong Ho and Vice Minister Pak Myong Guk during his visit, which ends on Friday — as does the military drill.