South Korea and the United States staged a combined exercise in international waters off Okinawa this week, the military said Saturday, in yet another move highlighting the allies’ joint defense posture.
The three-day exercise, which ended Saturday, was aimed at bolstering the allies’ mission capabilities against North Korea’s provocations, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
The Korean fleet included the 14,500-ton Marado amphibious landing ship, the 7,600-ton Sejong the Great destroyer, and the 4,400-ton Munmu the Great destroyer. The ships were on their way to Hawaii to participate in a U.S.-led multinational maritime exercise set to begin in late June.
The U.S. Navy also mobilized the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, the cruiser USS Antietam, the Aegis-equipped USS Benfold, and the replenishment tanker USNS Big Horn.
During the training, the allies carried out anti-ship, anti-submarine, logistics and maritime interdiction operations.
“Through the combined strike group exercise, South Korea and the United States have solidified the determination to respond to any provocations by North Korea sternly,” the JCS said in a statement.
The JCS added that the exercise also demonstrated the U.S. commitment to providing “extended deterrence” to South Korea, referring to Washington’s commitment to providing a full range of its military capabilities to defend its ally.
Source: Yonhap News Agency