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WORLD NEWSThursday 18 February 2016

US stealth jets fly over S. Korea amid N. Korea standoff

One of four U.S. F-22 stealth fighters flies over Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, Wednes- defense of South Korea, he In a speech at parliament,
day, Feb. 17, 2016. Four U.S. F-22 stealth fighters flew over South Korea on Wednesday in a clear said. President Park Geun-hye
show of power against North Korea, a day after South Korea’s president warned of the North’s The U.S. military would not said South Korea will take
collapse amid a festering standoff over its nuclear and missile ambitions. say how long the F-22s will unspecified “stronger and
be deployed in South Ko- more effective” measures
(AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) rea. to make North Korea real-
The United States often ize its nuclear ambitions will
LEE JIN-MAN planes capable of sneak- potential aggression from sends powerful warplanes result only in accelerating
Associated Press ing past radar undetected North Korea. to South Korea in times of its “regime collapse.”
OSAN AIR BASE, South Ko- landed at Osan Air Base “The F-22 ‘Raptor’ is the tension with North Korea. Park made the speech
rea (AP) — Four of the most near Seoul after the flyover most capable air superior- Last month it sent a nucle- while defending her gov-
advanced U.S. fighter jets escorted by other U.S. and ity fighter in the world, and ar-capable B-52 bomber ernment’s decision to shut
flew over South Korea on South Korean fighter jets. it represents one of many to South Korea after North down a jointly run fac-
Wednesday in a clear show Pyongyang will likely view capabilities available for Korea defiantly conducted tory park in North Korea
of force against North Ko- the arrival of the planes the defense of this great its fourth nuclear test. in response to the North’s
rea, a day after South Ko- flown from a U.S. base in nation,” Lt. Gen. Terrence The international standoff rocket launch. Pyongyang
rea’s president warned of Japan as a threat as they J. O’Shaughnessy, deputy over North Korea deep- retaliated by expelling all
the North’s collapse amid are a display of U.S. air- commander of the U.S. ened earlier this month the South Koreans there,
a festering standoff over its power apparently aimed military command in South when Pyongyang ignored put its military in charge of
nuclear and missile ambi- at showing what the United Korea, said in a statement. repeated warnings by re- the area and cut off key
tions. States can do to defend “The U.S. maintains an iron- gional powers and fired a communication hotlines
The stealthy, high-tech F-22 its ally South Korea from clad commitment” to the long-range rocket carry- between the Koreas.
ing what it calls an Earth It is unusual for a top South
observation satellite. Wash- Korean official to publicly
ington, Seoul and others touch on such a govern-
consider the launch a pro- ment collapse because of
hibited test of missile tech- worries about how sensitive
nology. North Korea is to talk of its
Foreign analysts say the authoritarian government
North’s rocket launch and losing power. Pyongyang
nuclear test put the coun- has long accused Wash-
try further along it its quest ington and Seoul of agitat-
for a nuclear-armed mis- ing for its collapse.
sile that could reach the After the rocket launch,
U.S. mainland.South Ko- Seoul announced that talks
rea’s president on Tuesday would begin with Washing-
warned North Korea faces ton on deploying a sophis-
collapse if it doesn’t aban- ticated U.S. missile defense
don its nuclear bomb pro- system in South Korea and
gram, an unusually strong that the allies’ annual mili-
broadside that is certain to tary drills in the spring will
infuriate Pyongyang. be the biggest ever. q

South Koreans’ stomachs latest front in standoff with North

KIM TONG-HYUNG visits aren’t illegal, the stance from the South since against Pyongyang. Presi- Tuesday also warned of “re-
Associated Press South’s Foreign Ministry said North Korea’s nuclear test dent Park Geun-hye has gime collapse” in the North,
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Wednesday. last month and its recent taken a much harder line formerly a taboo subject in
South Koreans’ stomachs Most of the restaurants are rocket launch, which many than during past standoffs the South, which cherishes
are the latest front in the in China, and Chinese and outsiders see as a banned with the North, closing a the notion of an eventual
standoff with North Korea. other nationalities frequent test of ballistic missile tech- jointly run factory park that peaceful reunification on
South Koreans have been them more than South Ko- nology. Washington and the South believes helped the peninsula that was di-
told not to eat at North Ko- reans do, so analysts see Seoul have been calling finance Pyongyang’s nu- vided at the end of World
rea’s restaurants around little impact. But the move for more stringent finan- clear weapons and ballistic War II by the Soviet Union
the world, although such is symbolic of a tougher cial and trade sanctions missiles program. Park on and the United States.q