US Aircraft Carrier 'Ronald Reagan' Arrives at Busan Port

Trilateral Maritime Interdiction Exercise Resumed After 7 Years Between Korea, US, and Japan

From the 9th to the 10th, South Korea, the United States, and Japan conducted maritime interdiction and anti-piracy exercises in international waters southeast of Jeju. The trilateral maritime interdiction exercise was resumed for the first time in seven years since 2016, and the trilateral anti-piracy exercise was resumed for the first time in six years since 2017.

The 'Yulgok Yi I,' the second ship of South Korea's latest Aegis destroyers built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, is undergoing sea trials.

According to the Navy on the 10th, this exercise was carried out following the agreement to resume and regularize trilateral exercises at the South Korea-U.S.-Japan Defense Ministers' Meeting during the Shangri-La Dialogue in June, and the agreement to strengthen trilateral security cooperation in response to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats at the South Korea-U.S.-Japan Summit in August.

The exercise involved South Korea’s Aegis destroyer ROKS Yulgok Yi I and logistics support ship ROKS Cheonji, the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, cruisers USS Antietam and USS Robert Smalls, Aegis destroyer USS Spruance, and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s JS Hyuga.

Meanwhile, Navy Operations Commander Kim Myung-soo, U.S. 7th Fleet Commander Carl Thomas, and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Fleet Commander Saito Akira held a maritime commanders’ meeting on the 8th aboard the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan operating in international waters southeast of Jeju. They discussed trilateral responses to North Korea’s underwater threats and nuclear and missile threats, as well as ways to strengthen maritime security cooperation.

The Navy stated, "As progress is being made toward the activation within this year of the real-time sharing system for North Korean missile warning information agreed upon by the South Korea-U.S.-Japan leaders at Camp David, and the prior establishment of a multiyear trilateral exercise plan, the maritime commanders also exchanged views on follow-up measures regarding these matters."

Prior to this meeting, the South Korea-U.S.-Japan maritime commanders also held a commanders’ meeting at the U.S. 7th Fleet Headquarters in Yokosuka, Japan, on February 22.