South Korea, the United States and Japan staged a trilateral missile defense exercise in the international waters of the East Sea on Sunday, after North Korea's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) last week.
The drills took place as the three countries have been reinforcing security coordination amid Pyongyang's continued saber-rattling this year, South Koreas Yonhap news agency reported, citing the South Korean Navy.
The exercise featured three Aegis-equipped destroyers, the South's ROKS Yulgok Yi I, the U.S.' USS John Finn and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force's JS Maya, according to the armed service.
Under a scenario of a ballistic missile launch by North Korea, the exercise focused on practicing procedures to detect and track a computer-simulated ballistic missile target, and share related information, it said.
Last Wednesday, North Korea launched a solid-fuel Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile.
The three countries last held the trilateral defense exercise last April. Today's exercise is the fourth under the direction of Yoon Suk Yeol, which made efforts to strengthen trilateral cooperation against Pyongyang's military threats.
Source: Qatar News Agency