South Korea, US, Japan Conduct Missile Defense Drill After 4 Months... Responding to North Korea's ICBM Provocation

Korean Navy Sejong the Great-class Destroyer Participation
Missile Detection, Tracking, and Interception

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] South Korea, the United States, and Japan conducted a missile defense exercise in the East Sea international waters far from Dokdo about four months after North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and other missile provocations.

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff on the 22nd, the exercise involved South Korea's Aegis destroyer Sejong the Great (DDG, 7,600-ton class), the U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class Aegis destroyer USS Barry (DDG 52, 6,900-ton class), and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Atago-class Aegis destroyer Atago (DDG 177, 7,700-ton class).

The Joint Chiefs stated, "This exercise focused on sharing ballistic missile target information and practicing detection, tracking, and interception procedures," adding, "South Korea, the U.S., and Japan strengthened security cooperation and further solidified their response system through this exercise."

A Joint Chiefs official said, "We expect such cooperation to increase in the future, and we are making efforts in that direction." The exercise began around 9 a.m. and lasted about five hours. The location was similar to the joint missile defense exercise conducted by South Korea, the U.S., and Japan last October, which took place approximately 185 km from Dokdo and about 120 km from the Japanese mainland.

In the simulation, South Korea and Japan detected and tracked a virtual ballistic missile target, then transmitted the information to the U.S. side via tactical data link. The U.S. then shared this information with the other countries and proceeded with a virtual interception. According to a Joint Chiefs official, there was no direct information sharing between South Korea and Japan.

The Atago-class destroyer participating in the exercise is a newer model compared to the Kong?-class that participated in the same exercise last October. It boasts superior radar performance and has undergone system upgrades to possess integrated air and missile defense (IAMD) capabilities. The lead ship of the Atago-class, Atago, was commissioned in March 2007 as part of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force's 3rd Escort Flotilla.

On the same day, a trilateral maritime commanders' meeting was held at the U.S. Navy 7th Fleet headquarters in Yokosuka, Japan, attended by South Korean Navy Operations Commander Kim Myung-soo, U.S. 7th Fleet Commander Carl Thomas, and Japan Self-Defense Fleet Commander Saito Akira. This exercise and commanders' meeting were conducted in response to North Korea's missile provocations, including the launch of one Hwasong-15 ICBM on the 18th and two 600mm-class super-large multiple rocket launcher short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) on the 20th. Following North Korea's SRBM launch on the 20th, the Joint Chiefs announced, "We will establish a firm response posture based on South Korea-U.S.-Japan security cooperation," signaling the trilateral exercise. Since the ICBM, with its long range, is the main issue warranting joint response, it is believed that this exercise focused on countering ICBMs.

North Korea claimed the ICBM launch was a "surprise launch exercise," blaming the United Nations Security Council for pursuing hostile policies against North Korea led by the U.S. After the SRBM launch, through Kim Yo-jong, North Korea cited "the movements of U.S. strategic strike means" as the reason.

In a statement on the 19th, Kim Yo-jong said, "We will closely monitor every hostile action by the enemy and respond correspondingly and with overwhelming force to any hostility against us," raising the possibility of additional provocations by criticizing this missile defense exercise.