(VOVworld) - The United States and South Korea on Thursday commenced a joint naval exercises in waters near the Korean peninsula. The USS Olympia, a Los Angeles-class submarine with some 120 sailors, joins South Korean naval vessels in an exercise focused on detecting enemy submarines and surface vessels.
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The Los Angeles-class attack submarine, USS Olympia (SSN 717) (photo: presstv)
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US Navy spokesman Arlo Abrahamson said the purpose of the exercise was to increase inter-operability, strengthen cooperation, and enhance the readiness of both navies. These exercises are routine and scheduled regularly, he added.
The maneuvers take place following the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s announcement last month that it would stop all nuclear tests if all US-RoK joint military drills were cancelled in 2015. Both Washington and Seoul rejected Pyongyang’s demand.