S. Korea, U.S., Japan hold combined air exercise for first time since Pres. Lee took office

For the first time under the Lee administration, South Korea, the United States, and Japan held combined air drills on Wednesday morning, in waters off the southern part of Jeju Island.

This also marked the first joint air exercises since January.

Two South Korea F-15K fighter jets, six U.S. F-16s, and two Japanese F-2s participated.

The drills were conducted to boost trilateral security cooperation to deter North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile threats, the Air Force said, and added that it plans to continue three-way drills on the back of a firm Seoul-Washington alliance.