The U.S., South Korea, and Japan conducted a joint aerial exercise on countering North Korean nuclear threats near the Korean Peninsula on Wednesday, marking the first trilateral drill since ROK President Lee Jae-myung took office this month.

According to a press release from the ROK air force, the exercise over international waters south of Jeju Island involved two South Korean F-15K fighter jets, six U.S. Air Force F-16s and two F-2 fighter jets from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.

The air force noted that the drill was aimed at enhancing trilateral security cooperation amid growing nuclear and missile threats from