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| he U.S.' USS Annapolis submarine enters a naval base on the southern island of Jeju, in this July 24 photo provided by the South Korean Navy. Yonhap |
South Korea and the United States staged combined anti-submarine drills, involving a U.S. nuclear-powered submarine, in waters south of the Korean Peninsula, Saturday, Seoul's Navy said, amid joint efforts to reinforce readiness against North Korean military threats.
The exercise took place in waters south of the southern island of Jeju, mobilizing the South's ROKS Yulgok Yi I Aegis-equipped destroyer, and the ROKS Yi Sun-sin and the U.S.' USS Annapolis submarines, according to the armed services.
The drills focused on training response procedures against a simulated North Korean submarine, such as searching for, tracking and identifying the target, the Navy said.
"This exercise was prepared to strengthen the South Korean and U.S. navies' response capabilities and enhance interoperability in preparation against North Korean submarine infiltrations amid growing threats from North Korea's missile provocations," it said.
North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea, Monday, after a U.S.' Los Angeles-class submarine's arrival at a naval base on Jeju earlier in the day. (Yonhap)
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