On July 16 in Seoul, the US, Japan, and South Korea staged a trilateral missile defense exercise in the international waters of the East Sea, Seoul’s Navy said, 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 firing of a Hwasong-18 solid-fuel ICBM last Wednesday.
This is the fourth time the three countries have conducted a missile defense drill together since Yoon took office in May last year.
Prior to the drills, North Korea conducted the second test launch of a new ICBM, the Hwasong-18, based on a solid-fuel propulsion system on March 12.
