Anchor: South Korea and the U.S. will stage a simulation of THAAD missile interception during the annual Key Resolve military exercise next month. The allied forces are also expected to see the participation of strategic assets such as the B-1B and B-52 strategic bombers.
Our Bae Joo-yon has more.
 
Report: South Korea and the U.S. are said to be planning to apply the “4D” operational concept in their annual Key Resolve military exercise next month.

During the Security Consultative Meeting in 2015, defense chiefs of South Korea and the U.S. approved the 4D operational concept, to 'detect, disrupt, destroy and defend' against North Korean nuclear and biochemical missile threats.

While initializing the preventive and preemptive strike drill, the allied forces   
will stage a simulation drill to shoot down an incoming North Korean missile with a THAAD battery.

A government official said that the simulation will run a hypothetical THAAD battery ahead of the planned deployment during the upcoming Key Resolve.

The annual exercise simulates deployment of American troops on the Korean Peninsula in the event of a contingency. 
 
During their talks last Friday, the defense chiefs of South Korea and the U.S. agreed to strengthen the Key Resolve and Foal Eagle combined military exercises to respond to North Korea’s nuclear and missile provocations.
 
A Defense Ministry official said the upcoming drill will be similar in scale to last year’s exercise, which was the largest yet. Seoul and Washington are discussing the possibility of deploying U.S. strategic assets on the peninsula during the period of the drill.
 
The drill is likely to see the participation of B-1B and B-52 strategic bombers deployed in the Andersen Air Force Base in Guam as well as B-2 stealth bombers deployed in the U.S. mainland. The participation of F-22 stealth fighters, nuclear-powered submarines and Aegis destroyers in U.S. bases in Japan is also likely.
 
The 93-thousand-ton USS Carl Vinson supercarrier, which is performing duties in Asia-Pacific waters, is also expected to be mobilized for the Key Resolve exercise.
Bae Joo-yon, KBS World Radio News. 

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