SEOUL, South Korea: The United States and South Korea have launched a five-day joint naval drill.
The joint naval exercise, which began simultaneously in the Sea of Japan and off the southern port of Mokpo, involve the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, two American cruisers, one US Aegis ship as well as two South Korean Navy Aegis ships.
The drill comes after North Korea launched a live-fire drill by firing dozens of artillery shells into the sea near the disputed maritime border with South Korea on July 14.