S. Korea, U.S., Japan hold joint maritime exercise in waters off Jeju Island amid growing...

S. Korea, U.S., Japan hold joint maritime exercise in waters off Jeju Island amid growing N. Korean threats 높아지는 北 위협 한미일, 제주 남방서 역대 최대 규모 연합 해상훈련 Amid North Korea raising tensions with words and action, Seoul, Washington and Tokyo engaged in a large-scale maritime exercise in waters off Jeju, with the U.S. aircraft carrier Carl Vinson making a stop in two months. Our defense correspondent Choi Min-jung reports. South Korea, the U.S. and Japan held a trilateral maritime exercise in waters off Jeju Island, from Monday to Wednesday, in a show of force against North Korea and its escalating security threats. The Joint Chiefs of Staff said Wednesday, that a total of nine ships participated, including Seoul’s Aegis-equipped destroyer --Sejong the Great, the U.S. aircraft carrier --Carl Vinson, and Tokyo’s Kongo-class destroyer. This is reportedly the largest number of ships to take part in a drill by the three countries. The last time the USS Carl Vinson made a stop in South Korea was two months ago ahead of North Korea’s spy satellite launch. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is roughly three soccer fields long, has a crew of around 6-thousand, and carries more than 90 aircraft including FA-18 Super Hornet fighter jets. This time around, the trilateral exercise comes amid heightened tensions following North Korea’s recent test-firing of what it claims was a hypersonic missile. The JCS said the aim was to improve deterrence capabilities against North Korea’s nuclear and maritime security threats, including the ability to intercept the transportation of weapons of mass destruction. It’s the first three-way exercise to be held after the three nations established a multiyear exercise plan last December, to better counter growing provocations from Pyongyang. “The exercise seems to be in line with the Washington Declaration between Seoul, Washington, and Tokyo, and also to strengthen extended deterrence in response to North Korea’s recent artillery drills and the launch of an intermediate-range ballistic missile.“ Professor Yang added that although such exercises may have a deterrence effect, North Korea’s continued attempts at using such exercises as justification for their provocations, may bring about further tension on the peninsula. Choi Min-jung, Arirang News. #SouthKorea #UnitedStates #Japan #Joint_maritime_exercise #대한민국 #미국 #일본 #한미일_연합_해상_훈련 #Arirang_News #아리랑뉴스 📣 Facebook : 📣 Twitter : 📣 Homepage : 2024-01-17, 18:00 (KST)