S. Korea, U.S., Japan carry out joint naval drills

By Kim Eun-jung

SEOUL, Oct. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has been jointly carrying out naval drills with United States and Japan in waters off the Korean Peninsula's southern coast to bolster interoperability between the nations, a military source in Seoul said Wednesday.

The drills began earlier this week to carry out maritime maneuvering to enhance missile detection capabilities, involving American aircraft carrier USS George Washington and Aegis destroyers of South Korea and Japan, the source said.

The training also includes the guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam CG-54 and guided-missile destroyer USS Preble DDG 88, as well as fighter jets, anti-submarine helicopters and early warning aircraft.

Following the trilateral training, the nuclear-powered 97,000-ton supercarrier is expected to carry out joint drills with the South Korean Navy in the East Sea.

The ship will arrive in the South Korean port city of Busan on Friday, and carry out maritime training exercises with South Korean warships and Aegis destroyers for two or three days next week, he said.

"The training is expected to include aircraft carrier maneuvers, anti-submarine drills and maritime training," the source said, speaking under anonymity as he is not authorized to talk to the media. "It is a routine training conducted two or three times when a U.S. carrier makes a port call here."

   North Korea has condemned the allies' joint drills as a prelude to war. In March, Pyongyang threatened to strike Seoul and the continental U.S. when the two nations' forces conducted their annual drills involving stealth bombers, stealth jets and aircraft carriers.

The two Koreas technically remain at war as the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a truce, not a peace treaty.

ejkim@yna.co.kr

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