American and South Korean warships have launched war games off the coast of the Korean Peninsula in an unusually strong display of force aimed at North Korea.
The November 11-14 joint drills, which began on Saturday in the western Pacific, involve three US aircraft carriers — USS Ronald Reagan, USS Nimitz and USS Theodore Roosevelt — and seven South Korean warships including three destroyers, according to the South Korean defense ministry.
“The exercise is aimed at enhancing deterrence against North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats and showing off preparedness to fend off any provocative acts by the North,” a ministry spokesman said.
The joint drills — the first in the region for a decade – are taking place in the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan.
The last time such military maneuvers were held was during the Valiant Shield exercises in 2006 and 2007. They were staged off the coast of Guam – a US territory which hosts two…