US, S.Korea, Japan end 1st joint military drill

ANKARA

The first trilateral multi-domain military drill, including cyber training, by the US, South Korea and Japan ended on the Korean Peninsula on Saturday.

Titled "Freedom Edge," the three-day exercise began Thursday in the international waters south of South Korea's southern resort island of Jeju, Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency reported.

"With Freedom Edge, South Korea, the US and Japan enhanced our deterrence and response against North Korean nuclear and missile threats," the agency quoted South Korean military as saying.

"It was also significant that the three countries conducted cyber training together for the first time," said the military.

During the exercises, the three allies mobilized various warships and aircraft, including the US Navy's USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier, the South's ROKS Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong destroyer and Japan's JS Ise helicopter destroyer.

The US, Japan and South Korea held joint aerial and maritime drills in the past but Freedom Edge was the first trilateral exercise held across multiple domains, including air, maritime, underwater and cyber, according to the agency.

The drill came amid increasing rival military activities on the Korean Peninsula where the divided Seoul and Pyongyang are closing alliances with Western powers as well as Russia.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid