North warns of 'all-out showdown' as US, South Korea hold joint drills

South Korea said on Thursday it had staged joint air drills with the United States featuring strategic bombers and stealth fighters, prompting Pyongyang to warn that such exercises could "ignite an all-out showdown".

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The exercises, the first by the security allies this year, came a day after US defence secretary Lloyd Austin and his South Korean counterpart vowed to boost security cooperation.

The drills on Wednesday showed "the US's will and capabilities to provide strong and credible extended deterrence against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats", the South Korean defence ministry said.