The U.S. and South Korea commenced a large-scale air exercise on Thursday to enhance their readiness posture against North Korea's threats. The drill, codenamed Freedom Flag, is scheduled to end on May 2, which involved 1,100 personnel and 90 military aircraft.

North Korea has threatened to take “powerful” measures in response to the US flying long-range bombers over South Korea. The US flew two B-1B bombers on Tuesday during an aerial drill accompanied by American and South Korean fighter jets, which Seoul framed as a direct response to the escalating threat of North Korea’s growing nuclear ambitions.