SEOUL –听The United States, South Korea and Japan staged joint naval missile defense听诲谤颈濒濒蝉听辞蹿蹿听the听碍辞谤别补苍听辫别苍颈苍蝉耻濒补听on Tuesday, as North Korea accused Washington and its听补濒濒颈别蝉听of creating “the most unstable waters with the danger of a nuclear war.”
The three nations staged exercises in international waters聽辞蹿蹿听South Korea’s southern Jeju island to improve their ability to detect and track targets, and share information in the event of provocation by听笔测辞苍驳测补苍驳, South Korea’s military said.
The听诲谤颈濒濒蝉听come as North听碍辞谤别补苍听leader Kim Jong Un has called for “radically” modernizing the weapons and equipment of its naval forces, criticizing an increased presence of U.S. strategic assets in the region.
In a speech to mark听狈补惫测听Day, Kim said the “gang bosses” of the United States, Japan and South Korea announced regular joint military exercises, news agency KCNA reported, apparently referring to their聽聽at Camp David, Maryland.
“Owing to the reckless confrontational moves of the U.S. and other hostile forces, the waters聽辞蹿蹿听the听碍辞谤别补苍听笔别苍颈苍蝉耻濒补听have been reduced into the world’s biggest war hardware concentration spot, the most unstable waters with the danger of a nuclear war,” Kim was quoted by KCNA as saying.
In the first standalone meeting between the leaders of the U.S., South Korea and Japan, the three agreed to deepen military and economic cooperation as they seek to project unity in the face of China’s growing power and the North’s nuclear threats.
South Korea and the United States last week began the Ulchi Freedom Shield summer exercises, designed to enhance their joint responses to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats.听笔测辞苍驳测补苍驳聽has long denounced the听诲谤颈濒濒蝉听as a rehearsal for war.
As part of the exercises, the听补濒濒颈别蝉‘ special operations troops practiced infiltrating an enemy’s coastline from the sea, riding rubber boats and emerging from the waves with diving gear and guns.
“The prevailing situation requires our听苍补惫测听to put all its efforts into rounding聽辞蹿蹿听the war readiness to maintain the constant combat alertness,” Mr. Kim said, adding the naval forces would become part of the “state nuclear deterrence carrying out the strategic duty”. – Reuters
