South Korea and the United States are now holding a four-day joint naval exercise west of the Korean Peninsula. The drills come despite the current tension between South Korea and the DPRK.

The drills focus on defense against air and naval warfare. The aircraft carrier USS George Washington is taking part, along with several ships from its task force. The South Korean military has two destroyers, a naval patrol ship and an antisubmarine warfare aircraft. The maneuvers are designed to demonstrate the strength of the alliance between Seoul and Washington and their commitment to using deterrence to ensure regional stability. The drills come just five days after the artillery skirmish between South Korea and the DPRK at a South Korean Island, killing two marines and two civilians.