The US and South Korea began their first joint naval exercises in five years near the Korean Peninsula on Monday, a day after Pyongyang tested a ballistic missile, according to AFP, Agerpres read.

More than 20 ships are participating in the exercises, which will last four days, including the American nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, as well as important air assets.

The drill is part of the US and South Korean security cooperation to counter North Korea as tension further grew in the region after Pyongyang adopted a new law to use pre-emptive nuclear strikes to protect itself, declaring North Korea a nuclear weapons state earlier this month.

„This exercise was prepared to demonstrate the strong will of the South Korea-US alliance to respond to North Korean provocations,” the South Korean Navy said in a statement.

Agerpres