South Korea’s air force is conducting live-fire drills over the Yellow Sea this week after the military pushed back against a news report suggesting it had reduced aerial firing exercises under the current government’s conciliatory approach toward Pyongyang.

The ROK Air Force Air Combat Command on Wednesday said it is holding unilateral weeklong air-to-air and air-to-ground live-fire drills at a maritime firing range in the Yellow Sea as part of its planned second-quarter exercises. 

The drills began Monday and are scheduled to continue through Friday, the command said.

More than 30 aircraft are participating in the exercises, including F-35 Lightning