South Korea, US & Japan Begin Trilateral Missile Defense Exercise

Seoul: South Korea, the United States, and Japan today began a trilateral missile defense exercise in the international waters of the East Sea. The move comes amid increased efforts to sharpen deterrence against North Korean ballistic missile provocation.

The exercise focuses on practicing procedures to detect and track a computer-simulated ballistic missile target and share related information. This includes three Aegis-equipped destroyers, the South’s ROKS Yulgok Yi I, the US’ USS Benfold, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s JS Atago.

Earlier, the three countries during a senior-level defense dialogue called the Defense Trilateral Talks and agreed to hold missile defense and anti-submarine exercises regularly to counter the North’s threats.