Deploying Three Destroyers, South Korea-Japan-US Holds Missile Defense Exercises in International Waters

JAKARTA - South Korea, the United States, and Japan will hold a joint naval missile defense exercise on Monday, as the three countries push for greater security cooperation, to counter North Korea's growing missile threat, Seoul's navy said.

The announcement came days after the three nations agreed at their trilateral talks in Washington to conduct regular missile defense and anti-submarine exercises as part of efforts to enhance diplomatic and military cooperation.

Monday's exercise will be held in international waters between Korea and Japan, bringing together South Korea's 7,600-tonne Aegis destroyer Yulgok Yi I, US guided missile destroyer USS Benfold, and Japanese destroyer Atago, which is also equipped with the Aegis radar system.

The three countries will focus on mastering response procedures from detection to tracking, including sharing information by creating virtual targets under the North Korean ballistic missile provocation scenario, the South Korean navy said.

"This is an opportunity to strengthen trilateral security cooperation against North Korea's increasing nuclear and missile threats, and strengthen our naval capabilities and posture to respond to ballistic missiles," Captain Kim Ki-young of the South Korean destroyer said in a statement. Reuters April 17.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have risen in recent weeks as North Korea ramped up military activity, testing a new solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile on Friday that experts say will facilitate a missile launch with little warning.

Pyongyang has threatened "more practical and offensive" action as South Korean and US troops have been conducting their annual spring drills since March, some of which involve Japan, calling it a rehearsal for nuclear war.

As previously reported, the South Korean and US air forces were separately set to start their drills on Monday for 12 days.

Also Monday, South Korea and Japan resumed their "2+2" talks with senior diplomatic and security officials in Seoul after a five-year hiatus, amid a thaw in relations after years of feuding over issues of wartime history.