SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - In a show of united defense against the growing nuclear threats from North Korea, the militaries of South Korea, the United States, and Japan convened on Sunday for their inaugural trilateral aerial exercise, the South Korean Air Force confirmed.

The strategic training, which took place near the Korean Peninsula, was organized in accordance with the three nations' previous agreement to strengthen defense cooperation and enhance their joint response capabilities to counter the escalating North Korean threats, as stated in a press release by the air force.

The joint drill included the participation of a nuclear-capable B-52 bomber from the United States, along with fighter jets from South Korea and Japan, according to the air force statement.

Considered crucial allies to the United States in the Asia-Pacific region, South Korea and Japan are home to approximately 80,000 American troops.

While the three countries have periodically carried out trilateral maritime exercises in the past, focusing on anti-submarine warfare or missile defense, this marks the first instance of a trilateral aerial drill.

Engaging in military exercises with Japan remains a sensitive matter for South Korea, given the deep-rooted resentment resulting from Japan's oppressive colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945. However, the escalating nuclear program of North Korea has compelled South Korea's conservative president, Yoon Suk Yeol, to transcend historical grievances and strengthen trilateral security cooperation with the United States and Japan.

In a landmark meeting at Camp David in August, President Yoon, US President Joe Biden, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida solidified their commitment to enhancing defense cooperation in order to address the nuclear threats posed by North Korea. The three leaders agreed to conduct annual trilateral exercises and expedite the real-time sharing of missile warning data on North Korea.

It is anticipated that Sunday's joint drill may evoke strong reactions from North Korea, which traditionally condemns US-South Korean military exercises as preparation for an invasion and often retaliates with missile tests. The North has criticized the Camp David agreement, accusing the leaders of the US, South Korea, and Japan of conspiring to instigate nuclear war on the Korean Peninsula. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un referred to Yoon, Biden, and Kishida as "the gang bosses" of their respective countries.

Concerns surrounding North Korea's nuclear program have intensified since the enactment of a law last year granting authorization for the preemptive use of nuclear weapons. Furthermore, the regime has openly threatened to employ these weapons in potential conflicts with the US and South Korea.

The exercise featured a striking visual of a US Air Force B-52 strategic bomber, along with South Korea's Air Force F-35As, underscoring the unified response to safeguard regional security amidst the looming North Korean nuclear threat.