South Korea, Japan, US to Hold Trilateral Naval Drills in September
Seoul confirms trilateral Freedom Edge drills with Tokyo and Washington from Sept 9-11, focused on North Korea threats.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed on Friday that the country will host trilateral military exercises with Japan and the United States from September 9 to 11. The drills, named Freedom Edge, are designed to test joint readiness against North Korea's missile and nuclear weapons programs.
The exercises will take place in international waters south and east of Jeju Island, off South Korea's southern coast. Officials described the drills as defensive in nature.
The announcement comes amid a shifting backdrop in regional military cooperation. The United States recently scaled back a major joint exercise with South Korea and also cancelled a planned Marine Corps drill scheduled for next month. Washington cited Seoul's refusal to contribute to the Iran war effort, and said the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises held earlier this month sent the wrong signal to Pyongyang.
US President Donald Trump has been seeking a new summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The two leaders previously met in 2018 and 2019, though no new meeting has been confirmed.