North Korea's Response To Hypersonic Missiles, South Korea-US-Japan Naval Exercises On Carrier

The archive - The photo, broadcast by the North Korean news agency KNA on March 25, 2022, shows the test launch of the Hwasongpho-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) belonging to North Korea/PHOTO via ANTARA

JAKARTA - South Korea, the United States, and Japan are conducting joint naval exercises in the waters of the southern Korean Peninsula following the launch of North Korea's hypersonic missile, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

The joint exercise was carried out in the southeastern waters of Jeju Island from Monday to Wednesday and involved nine warships belonging to the three countries, including the US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson.

The South Korean Navy destroyer, equipped with the Aegis battle system and the destroyer of the Japan Self-Defense Navy Congo class, also participated in the exercise.

The naval exercise began a day after North Korea conducted a heavy-fueled medium-range ballistic missile test that carried a hypersonic warhead into the East Sea in the first launch of their missile this year.

The naval exercise aims to strengthen the silting power and response capability of the three countries to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats as well as maritime threats, "JCS said in a press release released by ANTARA from Yonhap-OANA, Wednesday, January 17.

The exercise focused on responses to maritime security threats, including the transportation of weapons of mass destruction, and increased trilateral cooperation in building rules-based international order, the JCS said.

The naval exercise is the first time after Washington and its Asian allies launched a simultaneous system against North Korea's missile launches. The allies have also approved a plan for military drills for several years to better ward off Pyongyang's threats.

On the first day of the exercise, JCS Chairman Admiral Kim Myung-soo visited the US aircraft carrier to emphasize the importance of the three countries' naval exercises. On that occasion, said JCS, Myung-soo also promised to improve the combined posture in accordance with the planned training for several years.

The naval exercise comes amid increased safety concerns following North Korea's hypersonic missile test, which is considered more difficult to detect and shoot down.

Hypersonic missiles have a Mach 5 speed, or five times the speed of sound, and can maneuver and be able to change course while flying.

The hypersonic missile is one of the high-tech weapons that was promised at the party congress in 2021 by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to be developed. North Korea conducted a test-fire of a liquid-fueled hypersonic missile in January 2022.