US military in South Korea on ‘highest alert’

The United States has reportedly put its military forces in South Korea on the highest level of alert over the recent escalation on the Korean peninsula.

The commander of combined US forces, Curtis Scaparrotti, made the order during a visit to the Osan Air Base which is operated jointly by the US and South Korea, a United States Forces Korea (USFK) official said.

The move is meant to counter “any provocation coming from North Korea” following Pyongyang’s latest nuclear test on Wednesday, US media quoted the unnamed official as saying on Monday.

Washington and Seoul are already in talks to send further strategic assets to the Korean peninsula, a day after a US B-52 bomber flew over the South in a show of military force.