South Korea Sends F-35 Fighter Jets after North Korea Flies Warplanes Close to Border: Did They Fight?

After North Korea flew warplanes dangerously close to its border and before launching another ballistic missile, South Korea scrambled fighter jets.

Between late Thursday and early Friday, almost a dozen North Korean aircraft flew as near as 12km (7 miles) north of the inter-Korean border, according to a statement from the Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea.

South Korea Scrambles F-35 Jets, Other Warplanes

They violated a reconnaissance line established by Seoul, which causes Seoul to automatically launch an operational reaction. The military of South Korea claimed that in response, it scrambled F-35 jets and other aircraft. No reports of gunfire were made.

The South Korean air force conducted an emergency sortie and maintained a reaction posture while carrying out a proportional response maneuver matching to the flight of a North Korean military aircraft using its superior air force, including the F-35A, the Joint Chiefs of Staff reported.

The incursion was extremely unprecedented, and it took place at a time when tensions between the two neighbors were at an all-time high due to North Korea's recent bombardment of missile testing. The North's military said on Friday that its most recent moves were in response to a provocative artillery drill by South Korea close to the border.

Following the South Korean artillery fire, the North Korean military, according to the official KCNA news agency, took strong military countermeasures. According to a statement, the Korean People's Army sends a strong warning to the South Korean military for recklessly creating military tension in the frontline area, as per Ajazeera.

In response to the flight of a North Korean military aircraft, the South Korean air force conducted an emergency sortie with its superior air force, including the F-35A, and maintained a reaction posture, according to a statement.

It comes after South Korea scrambled fighter fighters furiously after Kim flew 12 warplanes in a terrifying configuration close to the border just last week. As North Korea keeps up its military show of might, Kim Jong Un fired two more missiles on Wednesday in a clear message to adversaries.

Kim Jong Un reportedly said the test fire should be seen as yet another clear warning to enemies according to official media.

The tyrant also said that the nation shall continue to extend the operational range of the nuclear strategic armed forces to resolutely deter any key military crisis and war crisis at any time and thoroughly take the initiative in it, according to Korea Central News Agency (KCNA).

The two missiles flew for 10,234 seconds before definitely hitting the target at a distance of 2,000 miles. Two further short-range ballistic missiles from North Korea were fired at Japan days earlier.

The launches were labeled severe provocation by the South Korean military, which damages peace. Fumio Kishida, the prime minister of Japan, issued an emergency alert advising people to take all conceivable precautionary measures, The Sun reported.

US Extends Deterrence Commitment to South Korea

The supreme leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Un, has praised his nation's nuclear capabilities amid the recent launches and threatened to use them to resist any threats. These events occurred as South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol considered fresh approaches to deter North Korean aggression.

Some lawmakers called for the cancellation of a 2018 military agreement with Pyongyang and even the potential redeployment of US nuclear weapons to South Korea, 30 years after their withdrawal.

According to a State Department spokesperson, President Joe Biden affirmed the US extended deterrence commitment to the ROK using the full range of US defense capabilities, including nuclear, conventional. In response to the query of whether his government would consider such a move, he said, and missile defense capability.

The high-level Extended Deterrence Strategy and Consultation Group, which convened last month, has been reactivated, the official added. The new 48-page National Security Strategy, which was unveiled earlier on Wednesday, made scant mention of North Korea and said that Pyongyang continues to advance its unlawful nuclear weapons and missile programs, as per News Week via MSN.