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By Ryan Chan
China News Reporter
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United States Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine and his South Korean counterpart flew in fighter jets to demonstrate allied air power to North Korea.
The joint commanders' flight, the first of its kind in the alliance's 72-year history, was part of Caine's visit to South Korea, where he and local military leaders discussed North Korea's advanced nuclear and missile threats and the global arms competition.
Newsweek has contacted North Korea's embassy in Beijing for comment via email.
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Why It Matters
The U.S.-South Korea alliance was established under a mutual defense treaty signed in 1953 after the Korean War. In addition to approximately 28,500 troops stationed in the southern Korean Peninsula, the U.S. is committed to using its full range of military capabilities, including nuclear forces, to support extended deterrence for South Korea.
Facing North Korea's growing nuclear and missile capabilities, the U.S. is bolstering its combat power in South Korea by upgrading F-16 fighter jets and establishing an MQ-9 drone squadron for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Washington has also provided advanced armaments, including F-35A stealth fighter jets, to Seoul.
What To Know
Following the 50th Military Committee Meeting held in Seoul, Caine and General Jin Yong-sung, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, conducted a joint formation flight aboard U.S. F-16 and South Korean KF-16 fighter jets, respectively, on Monday.
The two military chiefs took off from Osan Air Base and flew over Osan, Chuncheon, Daejeon and Camp Humphreys with two additional fighter jets and a South Korean E-7 airborne early warning and control aircraft, according to officially released footage.
The flight provided an overview of the development of the U.S.-South Korea alliance from the skies, while inspecting the combined defense posture and demonstrating the alliance's enduring strength, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.
Both Caine and Jin are air force generals. Caine, who has been serving as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff since April, has flown more than 2,800 hours as an F-16 jet pilot, including over 150 combat hours. Jin was appointed military chief in September.
During the Military Committee Meeting, the U.S. and South Korean militaries assessed that the security environment in the Indo-Pacific has become increasingly complex, with North Korea seeking "greater military capabilities" with support from Russia.
Caine and Jin also acknowledged that deterrence is not limited to the Korean Peninsula but extends beyond it, contributing to regional security, the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff said. They also reaffirmed their commitment to keeping the Indo-Pacific free and open.
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U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth raised the idea of flexibility in how U.S. forces in South Korea could be used during his visit to the country on Tuesday, saying they could respond to a regional contingency as the U.S. focuses on other threats beyond North Korea.
What People Are Saying
The U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement on Monday: "During the discussions, Gen. Jin and Gen. Caine … shared the view that peace on the Korean Peninsula should be underpinned by the combined strength of both countries, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a robust combined readiness posture based on the Alliance, capable of responding to any threats."
General Jin Yong-sung, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, said in a statement on Tuesday: "As the Chairman of the [Republic of Korea]-U. S. Joint Chiefs of Staff and a fellow Air Force fighter pilot, this command flight allowed me to truly appreciate the strength of the [Republic of Korea]-U. S. alliance."
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen how the U.S. Forces Koreas missions would be adjusted to deter and defend against aggression from North Korea and beyond the Korean Peninsula.
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