US aircraft carrier to conduct joint exercise in S.Korea

Seoul, Sep 18 : A US aircraft carrier will conduct a joint drill with South Korean forces next month amid rising geopolitical risks on the Korean Peninsula, defence officials confirmed here on Monday.

As part of the efforts, the US B-1B strategic bomber will be sent to the Korean Peninsula later this month, and the joint South Korea-US-Japan missile warning drills will be carried out from this month to early October, reported Xinhua news agency.

In October, the US aircraft carrier strike group, led by a nuclear-powered USS Ronald Reagan, will be dispatched to the peninsula to stage a joint naval exercise with South Korean forces, the Defence Ministry said.

The ministry said it will strengthen the regular mobilisation of US strategic military assets and rapidly wrap up the consultation with Washington on the bilateral missile guideline to increase the payload of South Korea's homegrown ballistic missiles.

Seoul will also continue efforts to secure the so-called three-pillar system, including its indigenous missile defence system and pre-emptive attack capability against North Korea's nuclear and missile sites, while ramping up cooperation with the international community for sanctions and pressure on Pyongyang, it added.