SEOUL, (Reuters) – The United States and South Korea began joint military exercises in waters west of the Korean Peninsula today that have been opposed by regional giant China and have led to North Korea threatening “consequences”.
The exercises, which Washington says are intended as a sign of deterrence to North Korea, come less than a week after the North shelled a South Korean island near the disputed maritime boundary and killed four people.
An official from U.S. Forces Korea told Reuters the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington had joined the four-day exercises.
The George Washington, which carries 75 warplanes and has a crew of more than 6,000, will be accompanied by at least four other warships.
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak told ministers and aides to be ready for further “provocation” by North Korea during the drill.
“There is the possibility that North Korea may do some unexpected action, so please perfectly prepare against it through cooperation with the Korea-U.S. joint force,” Lee was quoted by a spokesman as saying.
North Korea’s KCNA news agency said on Saturday: “If the U.S. brings its carrier to the West Sea of Korea at last, no one can predict the ensuing consequences.”
China has said it was determined to prevent an escalation of the violence in the Koreas and warned against military acts near its coast.
South Korea said China had sent senior officials including State Councillor Dai Bingguo to Seoul for a meeting on Sunday with South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan.
The U.S. military said the exercises, planned long before Tuesday’s attack, were designed to deter North Korea and were not aimed at China.
“We’ve routinely operated in waters off the Korean peninsula for years,” said Captain Darryn James, a Pentagon spokesman. “These latest provocations have been by the North and they need to take ownership of those, not us.”
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