A handout photo made available by the South Korean Air Force shows a U.S. B1-B bomber (top) escorted by South Korean F-15K fighters as they fly over South Korea during a 10-hour mission from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, into Japanese airspace and over the Korean peninsula, on Sunday. North Korea condemned the flight Monday. File Photo by Republic of Korea Air Force/EPA

July 31 (UPI) -- North Korea accused the United States of preparing for nuclear war after two B1-B Lancers flew over South Korea on Sunday.

Pyongyang's state-controlled news agency KCNA claimed Monday the bombers were deployed from Guam for "war practice."


"On July 30, two B-1B strategic bombers of the U.S. imperialists returned to South Korean airspace for war practice in preparation for a nuclear-armed attack of North Korea," KCNA stated. "The bombers flew over Jeju Island in the south, traversed the East Sea [Sea of Japan] and excitedly trained in the dropping of nuclear bombs while flying over Osan," a U.S. air base in the South.

On Sunday, the U.S. military confirmed bombers flew over the peninsula for a drill with South Korean fighter jets, a move Pyongyang attacked in its most recent statement.

"The F-15K fighters of the [South Korea] puppet air force flew together with U.S. imperialist nuclear bombers as shields [for the U.S. aircraft], ready to bring about terrible disaster to a unitary [Korean] people," Pyongyang stated.

Yonhap reported the two B-1B Lancers did fly over the South Korean island of Jeju, Osan, then exited the peninsula after flying over Deokjeok Island on the western coast of the peninsula.

The bombers were deployed more than 30 hours after North Korea engaged in its latest provocation on Friday: the launch of what the regime has claimed is an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the United States.

North Korea also claimed it tested an ICBM, following a missile launch on the Fourth of July.