U.S., Japan, South Korea commence Freedom Edge Exercise, North Korea attempts ballistic missile test
- In Reports
- 08:36 PM, Jun 28, 2024
- Myind Staff
On June 27th, the United States, Japan, and South Korea initiated the first trilateral Freedom Edge exercise, as confirmed in a joint statement. This exercise signifies a commitment to enhancing trilateral interoperability and safeguarding peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, including the Korean Peninsula.
The statement highlighted that the Freedom Edge exercise was agreed upon during the Camp David Summit in August 2023, with the defense chiefs of the three countries announcing its commencement on June 2nd at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. Moving forward, the US, Japan, and South Korea intend to expand and continue these exercises to strengthen their collective defense capabilities and regional security efforts.
The US forces participating in the exercise include the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group, which consists of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) with Carrier Air Wing 11, along with the destroyers USS Halsey (DDG-97) and USS Daniel Inouye (DDG-118), and a P-8 Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA). Japan's contingent comprises the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF), deploying the destroyer helicopter carrier JS Ise (DDH-182), destroyer JS Atago (DDG-177), and a P-1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA). South Korea is contributing the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) destroyers ROKS Seoae-Ryu-Seong-ryong (DDG-993) and ROKS Gang Gam-Chan (DDG-979), an ROKN Lynx helicopter, an ROKN P-3C Orion MPA, and F-16 Falcon fighters from the Republic of Korea Air Force.
According to South Korea's News Agency, as reported by the country's Joint Chiefs of Staff, the exercise commenced in international waters south of South Korea's Jeju Island. Following the Freedom Edge exercise, the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) will proceed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations as part of the ongoing Prosperity Guardian mission, which aims to safeguard merchant shipping in the Red Sea.
On June 26th, North Korea claimed through its state media, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), that it had successfully conducted a test of a missile equipped with multiple warheads. However, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) reported the launch as a failed attempt.
KCNA stated that the DPRK Missile Administration had carried out a successful test involving the separation and guidance control of individual mobile warheads on June 26th. This test follows North Korea's earlier threats to demonstrate its deterrent capabilities in response to the presence of the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group in Busan, South Korea.
On June 26th, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) reported that North Korea launched a missile into the East Sea from an area near Pyongyang at 5:30 a.m. The missile traveled approximately 155 miles before exploding over the East Sea.
In response to this launch, the United States, Japan, and South Korea have jointly condemned North Korea's actions. Japan's Foreign Ministry issued a statement noting that nuclear envoys from the three countries—Yukiya Hamamoto, Jun Park, and Lee Jun-il—held a telephone meeting following the launch. They reaffirmed that North Korea's ballistic missile launch constitutes a violation of relevant UNSC resolutions. The envoys strongly condemned the missile launch, emphasising it as a serious threat to regional peace and security, as well as to the international community as a whole.
Image Source: USNI
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