Anchor: A U.S. B-52 strategic bomber landed in South Korea for the first time on Tuesday. The nuclear-capable bomber has also made an appearance at the opening of the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition 2023, where President Yoon Suk Yeol vowed to actively support the growth of the nation’s defense industry.
Max Lee reports.

Report: After staging a commemorative flight over the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition 2023, a U.S. B-52 strategic bomber landed in South Korea for the first time on Tuesday.

Considered the U.S. Air Force’s representative strategic bomber, along with the B-1B Lancer and the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, the Stratofortress landed at 11:45 a.m. at an air base in Cheongju, some 112 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

While the nuclear-capable bomber has been deployed over the Korean Peninsula for joint air drills with the South Korean Air Force in the past, it has never previously landed at a local air base.

Along with the commemorative flight at the exhibition, the aircraft also took part in a combined aerial exercise over the peninsula alongside South Korea’s F-35A fighters, a move South Korea’s Air Force called a demonstration of the allies’ “outstanding operational capabilities” and Washington’s commitment to extended deterrence for the defense of South Korea.

In a joint declaration issued by the leaders of South Korea and the U.S. this April, Washington pledged to enhance the “regular visibility” of strategic assets on the Korean Peninsula as part of its efforts to deter North Korea’s continuous military threats.

Meanwhile, during the opening of the six-day aerospace and defense exhibition earlier in the day, President Yoon Suk Yeol pledged to actively support the growth of the nation’s defense industry, saying that South Korea has evolved from a country reliant on international aid and imports to an exporter of cutting-edge fighter planes.

While calling the defense sector a strategic industry for South Korea that supports national security and the economy, Yoon said cooperation with other countries has expanded from arms exports to other sectors, including supplies of equipment and parts, educational training and joint research and development.

The biennial exhibition welcomes the participation of 550 companies from 34 countries, with over 300-thousand visitors expected through Sunday.
Max Lee, KBS World Radio News.