The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
  • Hangzhou Asian Games
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    PHOTOSTrapped along borders

  • 3

    Korea wins gold in League of Legends competition; Faker tops podium

  • 5

    VIDEOBustling Chuseok: Namsan Hanok Village immerses visitors in Korea's rich traditions

  • 7

    Pentagon's CWMD strategy document calls N. Korea 'persistent threat'

  • 9

    Builders vie for leadership in modular construction

  • 11

    Yoon hosts Chuseok luncheon for Korean atomic bomb victims in Hiroshima

  • 13

    Apple, China met to discuss Beijing's crackdown on western apps: WSJ

  • 15

    Poll shows 79% of young Koreans agree on need to improve ties with Japan

  • 17

    Second release of Fukushima wastewater to start next week

  • 19

    S. Korea eliminates N. Korea in women's table tennis doubles

  • 2

    BTS' Jungkook to drop 2nd solo single

  • 4

    Trailblazing nonagenarian artist honored for redefining Korean fiber art

  • 6

    Opposition leader Lee again proposes talks with President Yoon

  • 8

    BTS' Jungkook drops 2nd solo single

  • 10

    Are 'finfluencers' helping or harming investment community?

  • 12

    Korea fails to be included on FTSE Russell's global bond index

  • 14

    Swimmer Kim Woo-min captures 3rd gold in Hangzhou

  • 16

    INTERVIEW'Coexistence of different art hubs across Asia is necessary': Art Week Tokyo Director

  • 18

    S. Korea cruises past N. Korea in women's basketball

  • 20

    My left arm: how right-handed shooter won Asiad medal with left hand

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
Sun, October 1, 2023 | 17:40
Editorial
Trilateral anti-submarine drills
Posted : 2022-09-29 17:05
Updated : 2022-09-29 17:44
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Historical issues hinder security cooperation

South Korea will hold trilateral anti-submarine drills with the United States and Japan in international waters off the East Sea on Friday to cope with growing military threats from North Korea more effectively, the Ministry of National Defense said Thursday. The maritime exercise is the first of its kind since April 2017.

The drills come right after Seoul and Washington conducted a combined naval exercise in the East Sea from Sept. 26 to 29 in response to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. Early this month, the North promulgated a law that enables Pyongyang to make a preemptive nuclear strike in a contingency. Its leader Kim Jong-un has vowed not to give up his nuclear arsenal under any circumstances.

The defense ministry said that the three-nation drill will focus on detecting, identifying and tracking submarines. The exercise is expected to help keep the capabilities of North Korea's submarines and its submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) in check. The North has been making efforts to develop and deploy SLBMs which could be installed with nuclear warheads, while pushing to develop new submarines. Pyongyang is reportedly preparing to test-fire an SLBM soon as well as conduct its seventh nuclear test anytime.

Against this backdrop, it is timely for the three countries to stage the joint drills. South Korea's Munmu the Great destroyer will join the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier and members of its strike group, as well as Japan's Asahi-class destroyer. South Korea needs Japan's cooperation as the Asian neighbor has the largest number of P-3C maritime patrol aircraft after the U.S. that can detect and trace submarines.

The drills also carry significance as there is a growing need for trilateral security cooperation among Seoul, Washington and Tokyo amid the emerging new Cold War, which renders North Korea, China and Russia to align themselves. The U.S. has been adamant in letting Japan play a greater role to ensure security in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly when America is engaging in the ever-intensifying great power rivalry with China.

In this situation, more active trilateral security collaboration is inevitable whether we like it or not. President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is seeking to mend frayed Seoul-Tokyo ties, said recently that there is no reason to avoid the three-way framework which is designed to deal with North Korea's nuclear threats and settle peace in Northeast Asia. As such, it is necessary for the three countries to hold regular drills to increase their preparedness.

Yet, Seoul and Tokyo should make efforts to improve their relations in order to boost trilateral security cooperation with Washington. The two countries still have to go a long way to break the diplomatic deadlock over the South Korean top court's rulings, which ordered Japanese firms to pay compensation to surviving Korean victims of Japan's wartime forced labor.

Yoon is under severe criticism for holding only "informal talks" with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York last week. Regrettably, the Kishida administration has yet to show any signs of compromise. Anti-Japanese sentiment still runs deep among Koreans. There is no national consensus on stepping up military cooperation with Japan. So we should not hurry to let Japan assume a bigger role in the region until both sides restore mutual trust and amity.


 
miguel
wooribank
LG
Top 10 Stories
1[INTERVIEW] Risk-averse culture is forcing daring creators to flee showbiz INTERVIEWRisk-averse culture is forcing daring creators to flee showbiz
2Koreans adapt to soaring food prices Koreans adapt to soaring food prices
3[PHOTOS] Trapped along borders PHOTOSTrapped along borders
4Education ministry prohibits parents from recording classes Education ministry prohibits parents from recording classes
5[VIDEO] Bustling Chuseok: Namsan Hanok Village immerses visitors in Korea's rich traditions VIDEOBustling Chuseok: Namsan Hanok Village immerses visitors in Korea's rich traditions
6Builders vie for leadership in modular construction Builders vie for leadership in modular construction
7Value, consumer goods, financial stocks expected to gain momentum after Chuseok holiday Value, consumer goods, financial stocks expected to gain momentum after Chuseok holiday
8Are 'finfluencers' helping or harming investment community? Are 'finfluencers' helping or harming investment community?
9[INTERVIEW] ROK-US alliance is win-win partnership: KUSAF chief INTERVIEWROK-US alliance is win-win partnership: KUSAF chief
10Over 30,000 protesters march for climate actions Over 30,000 protesters march for climate actions
Top 5 Entertainment News
1[INTERVIEW] 'Coexistence of different art hubs across Asia is necessary': Art Week Tokyo Director INTERVIEW'Coexistence of different art hubs across Asia is necessary': Art Week Tokyo Director
2M+ deputy director discusses Seoul's potential to challenge Hong Kong as Asia's art hub M+ deputy director discusses Seoul's potential to challenge Hong Kong as Asia's art hub
3Trailblazing nonagenarian artist honored for redefining Korean fiber art Trailblazing nonagenarian artist honored for redefining Korean fiber art
4[INTERVIEW] With '30 Days,' Kang Ha-neul finds new level of comfort in acting INTERVIEWWith '30 Days,' Kang Ha-neul finds new level of comfort in acting
5Rwandan artists bring diversity to Seoul's art scene Rwandan artists bring diversity to Seoul's art scene
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group