Joint missile-tracking drill starts; irking China

SEOUL: The US, South Korea and Japan carried out joint exercises yesterday to track missiles from North Korea, as China warned that such manoeuvres fuel tensions following nuclear-armed Pyongyang’s longest-range test launch to date, reports AFP.

The trilateral drill comes less than two weeks after Pyongyang test-fired a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and declared it had achieved nuclear statehood, escalating global alarm over its weapons push. The two-day exercise—the sixth since June last year—kicked off in waters near the Korean peninsula and Japan, Seoul’s defence ministry said.“During the drill, Aegis warships from each country will simulate detecting and tracking down potential ballistic missiles from the North and sharing information,” it said in a statement.

Two US ships are taking part, with one each from the two Asian countries.  Washington and Seoul staged their biggest-ever joint air drill last week in a show of force against the North, which is subject to multiple sets of UN sanctions over its ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programmes.  The coalition has urged others to take a tougher stance against Pyongyang but has so far found lukewarm reactions from Beijing and Moscow. China criticised the latest drills  as President Xi Jinping prepares to host South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-In this week for a summit aimed at soothing ties strained by the US deployment of an anti-missile system in the South.

 

Joint missile-tracking drill starts; irking China

SEOUL: The US, South Korea and Japan carried out joint exercises yesterday to track missiles from North Korea, as China warned that such manoeuvres fuel tensions following nuclear-armed Pyongyangs longest-range test launch to date, reports AFP. The trilateral drill comes less than two weeks after Pyongyang test-fired a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and declared it had achieved nuclear statehood, escalating global alarm over its weapons push. The two-day exercisethe sixth since June last yearkicked off in waters near the Korean peninsula and Japan, Seouls defence ministry said.During the drill, Aegis warships from each country will simulate detecting and tracking down potential ballistic missiles from the North and sharing information, it said in a statement. Two US ships are taking part, with one each from the two Asian countries. Washington and Seoul staged their biggest-ever joint air drill last week in a show of force against the North, which is subject to multiple sets of UN sanctions over its ballistic missile and nuclear weapons programmes. The coalition has urged others to take a tougher stance against Pyongyang but has so far found lukewarm reactions from Beijing and Moscow. China criticised the latest drills as President Xi Jinping prepares to host South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-In this week for a summit aimed at soothing ties strained by the US deployment of an anti-missile system in the South.