While tensions in the region reached a high with North Korea’s sixth nuclear test last September, there’s been a dramatic de-escalation since early this year. Robin Polderman looks at the Republic of Korea Air Force and the challenges it faces should a second Korean war break out.
Republic of Korea Air Force
On July 27, 1953, after three years of intense war, a ceasefire was signed between North and South Korea. Ever since then the conflict has had the potential of flaring up again and numerous incidents have taken place in the following decades. In the last decade, the North’s nuclear ambitions – along with continuing ballistic missile tests – have put its neighbours, as well as the United States, South Korea’s main ally, on edge. However, things began to change at the beginning of 2018, with North Korea announcing the Seoul-Pyongyang hotline would be restored, an inter-Korean summit would take place in April, and President Donald Trump declaring that a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jongun was scheduled for June 12. President Trump later cancelled the summit, before backtracking, and the meeting was reinstated.
While relations between the three parties currently appear more cordial, there is s…
