S. Korea, US conducts joint naval drill in East Sea

South Korea and the United States conducted a combined maritime exercise in the East Sea as part of a show of force against North Korea's provocations, their navies said Monday.

It was the first coordinated operation conducted by the allies outside routine exercises and with Seoul and Washington using the maneuvers to send a strong message of unwavering resolve against growing nuclear and missile threats from North Korea, the navies of South Korea and the United States said in a joint statement.

In its latest provocations, the North conducted its fifth and most powerful nuclear test early this month, only four days after firing off three ballistic missiles into the East Sea.

"We work side-by-side with our ROK partners every day; we are by their side today at sea, and we will remain by their side to defend against North Korea's unprovoked acts of aggression," Rear Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Korea and Task Force 78, said in the statement.

Vice Adm. Lee Ki-sik, commander of the ROK Fleet, said the two allies will always be ready to deter aggression and defeat the enemy to maintain stability and security on the Korean Peninsula and in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

The U.S. Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance and U.S. P-3 patrol aircraft joined South Korea's Navy's Aegis destroyer Yulgok YiYi, submarines, and anti-submarine helicopters in the latest exercise. (Yonhap)