Seoul to hold nationwide air defense drill

SEOUL, Dec. 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will stage a massive military exercise this week to test its combat readiness against a possible aerial infiltration, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Wednesday.

The exercise will be held Thursday throughout the nation, except the southern
island of Jeju, according to the JCS.
"This week's exercise, involving a number of high-speed aircraft, seeks to test
the ability of our fighter wings and air defense units to intercept and destroy
enemy aircraft infiltrating our space," the JCS said in a press release.
Over 30 aircraft, including KF-16 fighter jets and UH-1H utility helicopters,
will be mobilized for the one-day exercise, according to the JCS.
The military's public notice said there will be aircraft flying in Seoul's no-fly
zone during Thursday's exercise, which will last from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.
South and North Korea technically remain at war, as the 1950-53 Korean War ended
with an armistice, not a formal peace treaty.