The three-way wargames are targeted on alleged “threats” from North Korea, Seoul’s army mentioned
The US Navy has kicked off joint army drills with South Korea and Japan, with a US nuclear-powered plane service taking a lead position in anti-submarine workouts designed to counter the DPRK.Â
The South Korean Defense Ministry introduced the newest wargames on Monday, noting the three nations would maintain two days of “anti-submarine warfare training” close to Seoul’s southern island of Jeju.
“This exercise will be a good opportunity to improve the maritime operational capabilities of [South] Korea, the US and Japan to respond to underwater threats such as North Korea’s [submarine-launched ballistic missiles], which are advancing in sophistication,” mentioned Brigadier General Kim In-ho, the commander of the South Korean forces participating within the drill. “We will neutralize any form of provocation by responding overwhelmingly and decisively.”
The ministry mentioned the workouts can be led by Rear Admiral Christopher Sweeney, commander of the US’ eleventh service strike group, which incorporates the nuclear-powered plane service USS Nimitz, a number of guided-missile destroyers, and different help vessels. A Japanese destroyer and South Korean quick fight help ships had been additionally slated to hitch the drills, which can even contain “search-and-rescue training.”
The Nimitz service strike group took half in a separate bilateral train with Seoul in late March, its first joint drill with the South Korean Navy throughout its present deployment. Sweeney provided few particulars in regards to the coaching, however declared that the US and South Korea are dedicated to “deterring aggression on the Korean Peninsula” and that their partnership has “never been stronger.”
Though Pyongyang has but to touch upon the workouts, it has repeatedly condemned comparable operations as preparation for an assault on North Korea, as Washington and Seoul have held a number of rounds of wargames in latest months.
In March, the 2 nations performed their largest spherical of joint drills in 5 years, which noticed 11 days of workouts on land, air, and sea, prompting a retaliatory weapon check from the DPRK.
The North has carried out a flurry of missile launches during the last 12 months in response to the wargames, reaching a report quantity in 2022, and not too long ago vowed to broaden its nuclear arsenal to fight threats from adversaries.
Asked in regards to the three-way submarine coaching on Monday, China’s Foreign Ministry mentioned “continuous military drills” are the “main reason behind the recent flaring tensions on the Korean Peninsula,” urging the US and its allies to “stop military pressuring” and to pursue dialogue with North Korea.
READ MORE: North Korea slams Zelensky’s nuclear ambition