N. KOREA ON JOINT AIR DRILLS

[Anchor Lead]

North Korea's latest provocation appears to be in response to the Vigilant Storm aerial drill ongoing between South Korea and the US. Pyongyang earlier issued a foreign ministry statement threatening to consider more powerful follow-up measures. Pundits also believe the threat is to pave ground for the staging of stronger provocations such as an intercontinental ballistic missile launch or a nuclear test.

[Pkg]

A U.S. F-35B soars to the sky. The stealth fighter which can land and take off from an aircraft carrier or assault landing ship has flown into a US base in South Korea for the first time to take part in the joint Vigilant Storm air drills. The five-day exercise that kicked off Monday will mobilize some 240 aerial assets from both sides. The last time an air drill was held on this scale was 5 years ago in late 2017.

[Soundbite] Choi Yun-seok(Air Force's Seoul PR team) : "The expanded drill is designed to strengthen strategic, tactical combined capabilities and establish a steadfast joint readiness posture."

Coinciding with the drill's commencement, a spokesperson for North Korea's foreign ministry issued a statement. Pyongyang labeled the drills as war rehearsal aimed at striking down strategic North Korean targets. It claimed that a series of South Korea-US exercises held this year have escalated tensions on the peninsula. The regime warned it will consider more powerful follow-up measures if the US continues provocations, adding that America will pay a corresponding price if it attempts to use military force. The North has essentially warned of tit for tat military steps.

[Soundbite] Prof. Yang Moo-jin(University of N. Korean Studies) : "N. Korea may likely launch an ICBM before or after the U.S. midterm election and depending on Washington's reaction, it could decide whether and when to conduct its 7th nuke test."

Pak Jong-chon, secretary of the Central Committee of the North's ruling Workers' Party, also issued a statement early Wednesday and voiced a similar warning. Calling Vigilant Storm a provocative exercise, he said if Seoul and Washington attempt to use force against the North, they will pay a horrible price.