S.Korea, US, Japan start two-day missile tracking drill

South Korea, the United States and Japan kicked off a two-day missile tracking drill near the Korean Peninsula on Tuesday, Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) announced.

"This training is designed to prepare for North Korea (the DPRK)’s growing nuclear and missile threats according to the agreement results of the 48th ROK-US Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) held in October 2016,” the JCS said in a written statement.

South Korea’s Aegis destroyer Yulgok YiYi (DDG-992), the US guided-missile destroyer USS Stethem (DDG 63) and USS Decatur (DDG 73), and Japan’s Kirishima (DDG-174) destroyer participated in the drill.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of Defence James Mattis, Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera and South Korean Defence Minister Song Young-moo vowed to step up pressure on Pyongyang while enhancing military cooperation as they held security talks in the Philippines.

US navy sailors stand in formation on the deck as USS Stethem (DDG 63) destroyer vessel arrives at a military port for an official visit, in Shanghai, China, November 16, 2015. /Reuters Photo

"The three ministers condemned, in the strongest terms, North Korea (the DPRK)'s continued provocative actions," read a joint statement by the three leaders. "The ministers called on North Korea (the DPRK) to abandon its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile programmes in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner."

The allies also pledged to enforce United Nations sanctions against the DPRK, and expand information sharing.

Mattis is on an Asian tour which will see him visiting Seoul for annual defense talks, ahead of a visit to South Korea by US President Donald Trump.

Mattis also met counterparts from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations who are gathering for talks in the northern Philippine city of Clark.

(AFP&REUTERS)