Visit by General Dan Caine, top US military officer, comes amid growing calls in Washington for South Korea to shoulder more defence costs.

The aircraft, also known as Poseidon, is tasked with detecting North Korean submarine fleet, according to South Korean military officials, as it is capable of being armed with sonobuoys and torpedoes, which are designed to detect, identify, track and attack underwater targets.

North Korea has declared its readiness to respond militarily to any perceived security threats, issuing a direct warning to the United States, South Korea,

Kim reaffirmed North Korea’s full support for Russia’s war in Ukraine, vowing to “unconditionally support and encourage all measures” taken by Moscow in the conflict.

Top South Korean, U.S. and Japanese military officers are urging North Korea to cease all unlawful activities that threaten regional security, as the three nations fly advanced warplanes for a joint exercise in a show of force against the North.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who is on a visit to North Korea, said Moscow respects and understands why Pyongyang is developing its nuclear program.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the U.S., South Korea, and Japan of military buildups around North Korea. "We warn against exploiting these ties to build alliances directed against anyone,