SEOUL (Dispatches) - The U.S., South Korea and Japan began a five-day joint military exercise Monday to enhance their operational and joint response capabilities across multiple domains, local media reported.
The Freedom Edge exercise kicked off in international waters east and south of South Korea’s southern island of Jeju, Yonhap News Agency reported, citing a statement from the country’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).
The drill began as scheduled despite the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump shortening the bilateral Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise with South Korea last month in an effort to encourage North Korea to return to talks.
North Korea has long denounced the allies’ drills as war rehearsals.
“The three nations will leverage the drills to enhance operational capabilities and joint response capabilities across multiple domains, including maritime, air and cyber, while maintaining a robust and stable cooperative relationship,” the JCS statement said.
The drills will involve major maritime and air assets from the armed forces of the three countries, with a joint exercise control group overseeing the operations for their systematic and safe execution.
The three countries will deploy six Aegis-equipped destroyers along with maritime patrol aircraft, fighter jets and refueling tanker aircraft, the report said, citing sources familiar with the matter.
The South Korean Navy is deploying the 7,600-ton ROKS Yulgok Yi I and ROKS Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong destroyers, said the sources.
Japan’s Joint Staff of the Self-Defense Forces said last month that it will deploy the 7,700-ton Atago and 5,100-ton Asahi destroyers, P-1 maritime patrol aircraft, SH-60K helicopters and F-15 fighter jets.
Meanwhile, on Monday North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said a newly commissioned destroyer would be part of a nuclear response system capable of delivering “annihilating retaliatory strikes”, state media KCNA reported, though it did not say whether the vessel would carry nuclear weapons.
North Korea has accelerated efforts to modernize its navy as Kim pursues a broader expansion of the country’s nuclear-capable forces.
At a commissioning ceremony in the port city of Wonsan on Sunday, Kim said deploying the new ship to the sea east of the Korean Peninsula sent a clear signal to North Korea’s adversaries.
“The time has come for us to exercise our sovereignty at sea and underwater,” Kim said, according to KCNA.
Kim’s daughter, known as Ju Ae, took a prominent role in the ceremony, wearing a white dress suit, standing beside her father to receive salutes, appearing on a giant screen above the cheering crowd and boarding the destroyer, KCNA photographs showed.