Joint drills will be far from NLL, military reports

Joint South Korea-U.S. drills with the USS George Washington in the West Sea will be held from Sunday to Wednesday. North Korea has promised retaliation if both countries hold the drills in the West Sea.

South Korea and the United States have stated that the drills are routine and defensive in nature, but with the drills being held in the middle of the West Sea for the first time, they strongly take on the character of a show of force against North Korea.

“A U.S. carrier has come to the West Sea area before, but that was in the southern part of the West Sea,” said a military official on Friday. “This is the first time a drill will be held further north, in the waters near the islands of Taean, South Chungcheong Province.”

Read more