US flies B-52 bombers over S. Korea in clear signal to N. Korea

SEOUL (AFP) - The United States said it was flying training missions of nuclear-capable B-52 bombers over South Korea, in a clear signal to North Korea at a time of escalating military tensions.

The flights - part of annual joint South Korea-US military exercises - should be seen as underscoring US commitment and capacity to defend Seoul against an attack from the North, Pentagon spokesman George Little said.

In response to UN sanctions imposed after its third nuclear test last month, North Korea has warned of a "second Korean war" and threatened pre-emptive nuclear strikes on the South and the United States.

The spokesman said a B-52 from Andersen Air Force base in Guam, flew over South Korea on March 8 as part of a military exercise dubbed "Foal Eagle."