US bomber flights pushing us to nuclear war: North Korea

NORTH KOREA accused the United States Tuesday of pushing the Korean peninsula to the brink of nuclear war after a pair of strategic US bombers flew training drills with the South Korean and Japanese air forces in another show of strength.

The two supersonic B-1B Lancer bombers were deployed amid rising tensions over North Korea’s pursuit of its nuclear and missile programmes in defiance of UN sanctions and pressure from the United States.

The flight of the two bombers Monday came as US President Donald Trump said he would be “honoured”tomeetnorthkorean leaderkimjongunintherightcircumstances, and as his CIA directorlandedinsouthkoreafortalks.

South Korean Defence Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun told a briefing in Seoul that Monday’s joint drill was conducted to deter provocations by the North.

North Korea said the bombers conducted “a nuclear bomb dropping drill against major objects” in its territory at a time when Trump and “other US warmongers are crying out for making a preemptive nuclear strike” on the North.

“The reckless military provocation is pushing the situation on the Korean peninsula closer to the brink of nuclear war,” the North’s official KCNA news agency said on Tuesday.

Tensionsonthekoreanpeninsula have been high for weeks, drivenbyconcernsthatthenorth might conduct its sixth nuclear test in defiance of pressure from theunitedstatesandpyongyang’s sole major ally, China.

It was feared North Korea could conduct its sixth nuclear test on or around April 25 to coincide with the 85th anniversary of the foundation of its Korean People’s Army. REUTERS