Trilateral Maritime Exercise by South Korea, US, and Japan... 7 Ships Including USS Carl Vinson and ROKS Sejong the Great Participate

The three countries of Korea, the United States, and Japan conducted their first maritime exercise of the year.

The Ministry of National Defense announced on the 20th that the Republic of Korea Navy, the U.S. Navy, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force conducted a maritime exercise for four days starting from the 17th in international waters south of Jeju.

A total of seven vessels participated in this exercise, including two ROK Navy Aegis destroyers such as the Sejong the Great, four U.S. Navy vessels including the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson from the 1st Carrier Strike Group, and one Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer, the Ikazuchi.

The military explained that this exercise focused on enhancing the deterrence and response capabilities of the three countries against North Korea's nuclear, missile, and underwater threats, as well as strengthening maritime security capabilities such as maritime interdiction of weapons of mass destruction transport through trilateral cooperation.

Meanwhile, the Korea-U.S.-Japan maritime exercises have been regularly conducted according to the multiyear trilateral training plan jointly established by the defense authorities of the three countries in December last year.

A military official stated, "The three countries will continue close cooperation through trilateral exercises to deter North Korea's threats and respond jointly."