In response to North Korea’s recent intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch, Japan, South Korea, and the United States joined forces in a joint naval missile defence exercise. The drill, held in international waters between South Korea and Japan, aimed to counter North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats.
Equipped with Aegis radar systems, destroyers from each country participated in the exercise, as confirmed by the South Korean Navy. The focus of the drill was on practicing procedures to detect and track computer-simulated ballistic targets, while sharing relevant information among the participating naval forces.
North Korea fired its latest Hwasong-18 missile, which the country claims is a crucial component of its nuclear strike capabilities, from its east coast last Wednesday. The launch was described by Pyongyang as a “strong practical warning” to its adversaries. In recent days, North Korea had strongly objected to alleged US spy plane incursions into its exclusive economic zone waters, condemned a US nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine’s visit to South Korea, and pledged retaliatory measures.
The ICBM launch drew swift condemnation from Seoul, Tokyo, and Washington, who denounced it as a “clear, flagrant violation” of multiple United Nations Security Council resolutions. The international community views North Korea’s actions as posing a grave threat to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and beyond.
The South Korean Navy emphasised that Sunday’s joint drills served as an opportunity to enhance the military’s response capabilities against ballistic missiles while strengthening security cooperation between South Korea, Japan, and the United States. It stated, “We will effectively respond to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats with our military’s strong response system and trilateral cooperation.”
In recent years, the US and its Asian allies have been actively working to improve their information-sharing systems regarding North Korea’s missile activities. While South Korea and Japan are independently connected to US radar systems, they have not been directly linked to each other’s systems.
