A joint naval missile defence exercise was conducted by the U.S., South Korea, and Japan in response to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, the South’s navy confirmed. The drill took place in international waters off the coast of South Korea and Japan, bringing together destroyers equipped with Aegis radar systems from all three countries.
North Korea launched its latest Hwasong-18 missile, claiming it is a key part of its nuclear strike capabilities, on Wednesday, emphasizing it as a “strong practical warning” to its adversaries.
The trilateral exercise was aimed at enhancing coordination between the allies in response to a North Korean missile launch. The scenario simulated a virtual target for which the three countries practiced their response strategies, according to the military. South Korea and Japan are individually connected to U.S. radar systems but not to each other’s.
Efforts have been made by Washington and its Asian allies to improve their information-sharing system regarding North Korea’s missile activities.
“We will effectively respond to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats with our military’s strong response system and trilateral cooperation,” stated a South Korean Navy officer.
The U.S., South Korea, and Japan have condemned the North’s intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch. However, Pyongyang regarded it as a exercise of its right to self-defense and rejected the condemnation.
In recent days, North Korea has expressed strong discontent, accusing American spy planes of intruding its exclusive economic zone waters, condemning the visit of a U.S. nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine to South Korea, and vowing to take retaliatory measures.
(Reporting by Soo-hyang Choi; Editing by William Mallard)
Credit: The Star : News Feed
