US-South Korea launch first maritime drills since 2017 involving an aircraft carrier
- The four days of maritime drills off the peninsula’s east coast will involve more than 20 ships, including the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier
- It comes a day after North Korea test-fired a missile that some experts say had the range to strike the port city where the Reagan was then docked
The four days of drills are aimed at demonstrating the allies’ “powerful resolve to respond to North Korean provocations” and improving their ability to perform joint naval operations, the South Korean navy said in a statement.
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More than 20 US and South Korean navy ships, including the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, a US cruiser and South Korean and US destroyers, were mobilised for the drills, according to the navy statement.
It said US and South Korean fighter jets and helicopters will also take part in the training.
It would be the first such joint drills involving a US aircraft carrier near the peninsula since 2017, when the US sent three aircraft carriers including the Reagan for naval drills with South Korea in response to North Korean nuclear and missile tests.