The Buddy Squadron exercise kicked off at Osan Air Base in the city of Pyeongtaek-si, south of the South Korean capital, the newspaper reported, adding that the fighter jet drill would last five days.
US-made F-16s and South Korean F-15Ks will be part of a total of 20 fighter jets in the first air drill of 2024 to practice defensive actions, the report said.
In addition to the Buddy Squadron, 47 other field training exercises are part of the major Freedom Shield drills, which also started on Monday and will run through March 14, Yonhap reported.