South Korea's Air Force said Monday that they are conducting a weeklong air combat exercise this week to practice their readiness against possible provocations from North Korea and their counterattack operations.

Some 50 Air Force assets, including the F-15K and FA-50 fighters, and 500 airmen from 15 Air Force units are mobilized for the drill which began last Friday, the Air Force said in a statement.

The "Soaring Eagle" exercise, which runs through this Friday, is designed to hone the Air Force's capabilities to shoot down enemy missiles and strike its core military facilities, it said.

The air exercise is expected to further improve anti-North Korean combat readiness, together with South Korea's ongoing joint military drills with the United States, the Foal Eagle and the Key Resolve exercises.

Soaring Eagle has been held twice a year since 2008.

Separately, South Korea and the US have jointly held another major air drill, the Max Thunder. (Yonhap)