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).
Korean vessels included the 14,500-ton amphibious landing ship Marado, the 7,600-ton destroyer, Sejong the Great and the 4,400-ton destroyer Munmu the Great. The ships were on their way to Hawaii to participate in a U.S.-led multinational maritime exercise set to begin in late June.
A U.S. MH-60 helicopter that landed lands on South Korea's 14,500-ton amphibious landing ship Marado during a combined exercise held in waters off Okinawa, June 2, is seen in this photo released by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Yonhap
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 their 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. (Yonhap)
