US, Japan and South Korea to launch joint ballistic missile defense exercises

Published:

Aug 1, 2022 05:53 GMT

In addition to the three countries, Australia and Canada will join the drills that will take place in Hawaiian waters.

The US, Japan and South Korea will begin joint ballistic missile defense exercises this week in the waters of Hawaii (United States), informs Yonhap citing sources familiar with the matter.

According to the informants, the biennial Pacific Dragon maneuvers are planned from this Monday until August 14. In addition to the three countries, Australia and Canada will join the drills at this year’s edition.

The exercises, in which eight warships and two aircraft will participate, are aimed at enhancing cooperation between participating countries in the detection, tracking and notification of ballistic missile targets, the agency said.

The trainings had proceeded quietly since 2018 amid efforts to facilitate diplomacy with Pyongyang. Meanwhile, concerns are growing that North Korea could escalate tensions by carrying out its seventh nuclear test.

On the other hand, tensions between the US and China have recently intensified due to the possible visit of the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, to Taiwan.

In turn, Beijing has insisted on numerous occasions that any negotiations with Taipei that bypass the country’s central government violates the key principle of its one-China policy and what is stipulated by joint communiqués signed by the Chinese and US authorities.