US aircraft carrier the USS George Washington will take part in joint military drills with South Korea in the highly charged Yellow Sea soon, South Korean diplomats say.
The United States and South Korea have sent conflicting signals over the participation of the vessel in planned joint manoeuvres near Chinese waters, which have drawn strong protests from Beijing - particularly over the prospect of the carrier's presence.
The diplomats said Washington had reiterated to Seoul its long-term commitment to maintaining stability and security in East Asia and had reassured its ally about its regional military policy, which involved mobilising the carrier for the 'routine' drills.
Seoul says the South Korean corvette Cheonan was sunk in March by a North Korean torpedo attack, something Pyongyang denies. Forty-six South Korean sailors died when the Cheonan sank.
Beijing has refused to join the international condemnation of North Korea over the incident.
'Senior officials from the Pentagon and State Department have made it clear to us that they will send the George Washington to participate in the upcoming joint military exercises in the Yellow Sea as a response to the sinking of the South Korean navy ship,' one of two South Korean diplomats with knowledge of arrangements for the drill said.
