US, South Korea, Japan hold missile defence drill after North’s ICBM launch

SEOUL – The United States, South Korea and Japan held a joint naval missile defence exercise on Sunday to counter North Korea’s evolving nuclear and missile threats, the South’s navy said, days after the North

launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

North Korea fired its latest Hwasong-18 missile, which Pyongyang describes as the core of its nuclear strike force, off the east coast on Wednesday in what it said was a “strong practical warning” to its adversaries.

Sunday’s trilateral drill was conducted in international waters between South Korea and Japan, bringing together destroyers equipped with Aegis radar systems from the three countries, the navy said.

Washington and its Asian allies have been working to improve their information-sharing system on North Korea’s missiles. South Korea and Japan are independently linked to US radar systems but not to each other’s.

The exercise aimed at mastering the allies’ response to a North Korean ballistic missile launch with a scenario featuring a virtual target, the military said.

“We will effectively respond to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats with our military’s strong response system and the trilateral cooperation,” a South Korean Navy officer said.

North Korea’s ICBM launch was denounced by the US, South Korea and Japan, although Pyongyang has rejected the condemnation, saying it was an exercise of its right to self-defence.

The latest launch followed heated complaints from North Korea in recent days. It has accused the US of sending spy planes over

its exclusive economic zone waters

and condemned a recent visit to South Korea by an American

nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine

, vowing to take steps in reaction. REUTERS