**US, Japan, and South Korea Conduct First “Freedom Edge” Trilateral Exercise to Promote Peace**
The United States, Japan, and South Korea launched the first “Freedom Edge” trilateral exercise on Thursday (June 27) to promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. At the same time, North Korea claimed to have successfully conducted a multiple warhead test on Wednesday but was refuted by South Korea.
According to a joint statement, the “Freedom Edge” exercise expresses the willingness of Japan, South Korea, and the US to enhance trilateral interoperability and protect freedom to maintain peace and stability in the Indian Ocean-Pacific region, including the Korean Peninsula.
The decision to hold this exercise was made during the Camp David Summit in August 2023, where the defense ministers of the three countries announced the exercise during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on June 2.
“Starting from this exercise, Japan, South Korea, and the US will continue to expand the ‘Freedom Edge’ exercises,” the joint statement read.
As reported by USNI News, the US deployed the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group, including the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier, Carrier Air Wing 11, USS Halsey destroyer (DDG-97), USS Daniel Inouye destroyer (DDG-118), and a P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. Japan dispatched the JS Ise helicopter destroyer (DDH-182), JS Atago destroyer (DDG-177), and a P-1 maritime patrol aircraft. South Korea mobilized the ROKS Seoae-Ryu-Seong-ryong (DDG-993) and ROKS Gang Gam-Chan (DDG-979) destroyers, a Lynx helicopter, a P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft, and F-16 Falcon fighter jets.
According to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency, the exercise took place in international waters south of Jeju Island.
Earlier this week, South Korean President visited the USS Theodore Roosevelt in Busan and delivered a speech to the crew.
“Tomorrow, the Roosevelt will depart to participate in ‘Freedom Edge,’ which is the first tri-domain military exercise among the US, South Korea, and Japan,” the president said in a statement. “Our shared values of freedom and democracy, as well as our alliance, will be another powerful deterrent.”
After the exercise, the Roosevelt will head to the US Fifth Fleet to carry out the “Prosperity Guardian” mission, protecting merchant ships in the Red Sea.
Meanwhile, North Korea claimed to have successfully conducted a multiple warhead separation and guidance test on Wednesday in response to the visit of the USS Theodore Roosevelt nuclear submarine to Busan. However, South Korea stated that the launch was unsuccessful.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff in South Korea said that North Korea launched a missile from near Pyongyang at 5:30 am towards the East Sea but it exploded in the air after flying about 155 miles.
The US, Japan, and South Korea condemned North Korea’s missile launch, with diplomats from the three countries holding a conference call to discuss the issue.
As North Korea continues missile tests, China also poses regional threats. The US Marine Corps and Japan Ground Self-Defense Forces announced a joint exercise near the southwestern islands of Japan starting on Friday.
During a press conference, Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara stated the importance of strengthening trilateral organizational capabilities and cooperation to address the challenges in the security environment.
” Thus, we will continue to enhance trilateral security cooperation, including conducting ‘Freedom Edge’ and other trilateral joint exercises,” Kihara added.
Reports from the Japan Self-Defense Forces revealed the presence of Chinese Navy Dongdiao-class reconnaissance ships and a drone operating near Japanese waters earlier this week.
In response to a Chinese WZ-7 drone flying from mainland China over the East China Sea towards Amami Oshima, Japanese Air Self-Defense Force fighters were scrambled. Additionally, Japan has been monitoring the Chinese Dongdiao-class surveillance ship “North Star” (791) found in Japanese waters over the weekend.