Seoul, Washington start manoeuvers with US aircraft carriers

South Korea and the US started large-scale military manoeuvers on Saturday off the Korean peninsula in which three American aircraft carriers are taking part.

Nuclear-powered carriers USS Ronald Reagan, USS Nimitz and USS Theodore Roosevelt are taking part in the exercises, which will continue until Tuesday in the Sea of Japan, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

The manoeuvers are the first in 10 years in which three aircraft carriers have been involved, reports Efe news.

The JCS said in a statement that the exercise was seeking to strengthen and expand the dissuasive strategy to prevent Pyongyang from carrying out further provocations in the form of arms tests.

The exercises come after the US and South Korea in their recent annual meeting on defensive policy agreed to expand the rotational deployment of strategic American military assets such as aircraft carriers, submarines and bombers to the peninsula.

During his visit to South Korea during his ongoing Asian tour, US President Donald Trump strongly criticised Pyongyang and twice referred to the deployment of the three aircraft carriers in the region.

Trump's rhetoric combined with repeated weapons tests by North Korea have increased tensions to some of the highest levels seen since the Korean War of 1950-1953.

--IANS

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