Source: U.S. Navy
Seoul, 2 April 2023 (GNP): South Korea, the US, and Japan have decided to conduct anti-submarine drills amid threats of nuclear and missile capabilities of North Korea, according to the South Korean Defense Ministry.
These exercises will be held in international waters near South Korea’s southern island of Jeju from Monday. The exercises will involve the participation of the US carrier strike group led by USS Nimitz, which had recently arrived in the southeastern city of Busan.
The trilateral drills were initiated after North Korea announced last week that it had developed new, smaller nuclear warheads and would produce more weapons-grade nuclear materials to enhance its arsenal.
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Additionally, North Korea had also claimed that it possessed a nuclear-capable underwater attack drone. To counter these threats, the trilateral drills will involve the use of a mobile anti-submarine warfare training target. This will enhance the abilities required to identify, monitor, and eliminate underwater threats posed by North Korea. The defense ministry has confirmed these details.
According to Hirokazu Matsuno, the chief government representative in Japan, the purpose of the exercises is to encourage cooperation between three countries to address security issues in the region, safeguard common security and economic interests, and demonstrate their dedication to reinforcing an international system based on rules.
When asked about the military exercises on Monday, Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, stated that these exercises conducted by certain countries near the Korean peninsula are the primary cause of the increased tensions in the region. Mao Ning emphasized that the concerned parties should work towards establishing favorable circumstances to resume dialogues.
In September, the three nations conducted anti-submarine exercises together for the first time in five years due to the growing tension caused by North Korea’s high number of missile tests.
