North Korea can’t threaten to turn the Pacific into a “firing range” and expect its neighbors, and the US, to stand idly by. It’s Pyongyang that’s doing the saber-rattling here, and the South Korea-US drills are just meant to give the North second thoughts about trying anything dangerous. Deterrence should be even stronger now that Japan and South Korea have buried the hatchet and strengthened their alliance.
The US and its South Korean puppet state are the ones causing unrest in the region as flying a nuclear-capable bomber during drills is a dangerous provocation. After repeatedly having its objections against these exercises ignored, North Korea has no choice but to flex its muscles — especially if the UN fails to fulfill its request to call for the end of the US-South Korea drills.