South Korea, U.S. begin naval drills
Training exercises are show of force aimed at North Korea
The United States and South Korea began a week of military drills Monday in waters off South Korea’s east coast, days after North Korea accused the U.S. of provocation by sending the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan to the tense Korean Peninsula.
The Multinational Mine Warfare Exercise is designed to train units in detecting and “neutralizing ” sea mines to protect navigation routes, the Navy said in a statement. The U.S. 7th Fleet’s extensive contributions to the exercises include the carrier as well as two destroyers — the USS Stethem and the USS Mustin. Fighter jets, helicopters and 40 naval ships and submarines will take part, officials said.
“This exercise is an incredible opportunity for our forces and our staff to conduct complex mine countermeasure operations with our much-valued allies and friends,” said Capt. Jim Miller, chief of the Mine Countermeasures Squadron.
The drills are aimed at practicing how to respond to a potential naval provocation by North Korea and improving the allies’ combined operational capability, said Jang Wook, a spokesman for South Korea’s navy.
In a possible show of force against North Korea, the U.S. also sent four advanced fighter jets — two F-22s and two F-35s — for an air show and exhibition in Seoul that are to begin Tuesday.
Last week, the U.S. flew two B-1B supersonic bombers from its air base in Guam to South Korea.
The drills are the latest in a long series of joint exercises between the two nations that have infuriated North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
North Korea didn’t immediately respond to the start of the drills. On Friday, the North’s foreign ministry accused the U.S. of provoking the country by mobilizing the aircraft carrier and other war assets near the peninsula.
Under Kim’s leadership, North Korea has been accelerating its efforts to bolster its weapons arsenals and acquire the capability to fire nuclear missiles at any target in the U.S. mainland. The North conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test in September.