S. Korea, U.S., Japan to hold joint exercise involving USS Nimitz: U.S. official

SEOUL, March 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea, the United States and Japan will soon hold a trilateral maritime exercise, involving an American nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, a U.S. Navy official said Tuesday.

Rear Adm. Christopher Sweeney, the commander of Carrier Strike Group 11, unveiled the plan during a press meeting aboard the USS Nimitz carrier, which arrived in the southeastern city of Busan earlier in the day, in a show of the U.S.' naval might against North Korean threats.

"We are scheduled to do a trilateral exercise with the JMSDF and ROK Navy after we pull out of Busan," he said, calling the exercise "very important for interoperability."

The JMSDF and ROK refer to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the South's official name, the Republic of Korea.

The three-way exercise is expected to take place early next week as the carrier is likely to depart from Busan this weekend, according to an informed source who requested anonymity.

The three countries previously held trilateral maritime drills, involving the USS Ronald Reagan carrier, in September and October last year.

sshluck@yna.co.kr
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