South Korea, Japan and US hold military exercises

Naval units of South Korea, the United States and Japan will hold two days of exercises off the coast of the South Korean island of Jeju from Monday. The exercises are a response to recent threats from North Korea, the South Korean Defense Ministry said.

North Korea unveiled new, smaller warheads last week and announced it would produce more nuclear material to expand its arsenal. The country also tested a nuclear underwater drone last week. North Korea has stepped up military exercises in recent months and has launched short – and long-range ballistic missiles several times.

The exercises that the three countries are holding this week are aimed at better detecting, tracking and eliminating underwater threats from North Korea, the South Korean ministry said. The US, Japan and South Korea also held such anti-submarine exercises last September.