South Korea, Japan and the U. S. began a joint naval exercise Monday aimed at countering missile threats from North Korean…
SEOUL —
South Korea, Japan and the U. S. began a joint naval exercise Monday aimed at countering missile threats from North Korean submarines, Seoul’s defense ministry said, amid mounting concerns over the hermit state’s weapons program.
Pyongyang is on a quest to develop a long-range missile capable of hitting the U. S. mainland with a nuclear warhead, and has so far staged five nuclear tests, two of them last year.
The three-day drills involving more than 800 troops kicked off after U. S. President Donald Trump warned Sunday that the United States is prepared to act unilaterally to deal with North Korea’s nuclear program if China proves unwilling to help.
The exercise began off South Korea’s southern coast near Japan, featuring multiple naval destroyers and helicopters used in anti-submarine warfare, the ministry said.
It was aimed at “ensuring effective response to the North’s submarine threats including the submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM),” and “demonstrates the three countries’ strong determination”, according to the ministry.
