2023-09-13 20:44:59
Washington approved the sale of F-35 fighter jets to South Korea on Wednesday, at a time of tensions with North Korea visiting Russia.
The United States approved the sale of F-35 fighter jets to South Koreaa contract worth $5.06 billion, amid tensions with North Korea, the State Department announced Wednesday.
The contract, notified to Congress, provides for the sale to Seoul of up to “25” copies of this fighter plane manufactured by Lockheed Martinconsidered the most efficient on the market and equipped with stealth capabilities.
The sale “will improve South Korea’s ability to face current and future threats providing a credible defense capability to deter aggression in the region and ensure interoperability with U.S. forces,” according to a State Department statement. It will not change “the military balance in the region”we assured the same source.
Tensions with North Korea
South Korea has used F-35s since 2018. The United States only approves the sale of these planes to its closest partnersTurkey, for example, having been excluded from the F-35 program after purchasing a missile defense system from Russia.
The sale takes place at a moment of tension with Pyongyangwhich again launched two short-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday, and whose leader Kim Jong Un is in Russia for a summit with President Vladimir Putin.
North Korea has increased its banned weapons tests since the beginning of the year, the latest of which, on August 30, also concerned two short-range ballistic missiles.
The United States and South Korea regularly carry out military exercises, the latest of which last August angering Pyongyang. Seoul and Washington say the maneuvers are defensive in nature, and aimed at strengthening cooperation between allies.
The United States has recently strengthened its ties with Japan and South Korea, President Joe Biden having received their leaders in August at Camp David. US law requires the State Department to approve arms sales to third countries and inform Congress.
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