South Korea, Japan, US to conduct anti-missiles exercise

The three allies are working on the details against the progressive nuclear and missile threats by Pyongyang to improve Seoul's defence

South Korea, Japan and the United States of America will carry out their first ever joint anti-missiles exercise in June in Hawaii, to prepare against the growing threat of North Korea's long-range missiles and nuclear weapons.

The three allies are still working on the details after agreeing to conduct the joint missile warning exercise, designed against the progressive nuclear and missile threats by Pyongyang  to improve Seoul's defence, a South Korean defence ministry spokesman said on Monday.

The drills, for which the exact date has not yet been announced, will focus on intelligence contacts and exchanges to detect and track potential missile launches by North Korea, although they will not include exercises related to interception of projectiles, said the spokesman.

The next anti-missile tests will be conducted as part of the Rim of the Pacific Exercise, the world's largest naval manoeuvre.