SEOUL: South Korea and the United States conducted a joint drill in international waters off the coast of Okinawa this week, according to the military.

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the three-day exercise sought to strengthen the partners' mission capabilities in the face of North Korean provocations (JCS). The 14,500-tonne Marado amphibious landing ship, the 7,600-tonne Sejong the Great destroyer, and the 4,400-tonne Munmu the Great destroyer were among the South Korean fleet's ships. The ships were on their way to Hawaii to take part in a multinational maritime exercise led by the United States that will begin in late June.

The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, the cruiser USS Antietam, the Aegis-equipped USS Benfold, and the replenishment tanker USNS Big Horn were also deployed by the US Navy. 

The allies practised anti-ship, anti-submarine, logistical, and maritime interdiction operations throughout the training. "Through the combined strike group exercise, South Korea and the US have strengthened their willingness to respond firmly to any provocations by North Korea," the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

The exercise also demonstrated the US commitment to providing "extended deterrence" to South Korea, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This refers to Washington's pledge to provide a broad range of military capabilities to defend its ally.

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