U.S., Japan, Republic of Korea Conduct Trilateral Ballistic Missile Defense Exercise

29 August 2023

From U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Public Affairs

AT SEA - The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, USS Benfold conducted a trilateral ballistic missile defense exercise on Aug. 29, alongside Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Maya class destroyer JS Haguro, and Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy Sejong Daewang class destroyer ROKS Yulgok Yi I.

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Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force Maya-class guided missile destroyer Haguro (DDG-180); Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold (DDG 65); and Republic of Korea Sejong the Great-class destroyer Yulgok Yi (DDG-992) sail in formation during a trilateral exercise on Aug. 29.

The exercise strongly promotes trilateral cooperation to respond to regional security challenges such as the failed DPRK launch that used ballistic missile technology, a brazen violation of multiple unanimous UN Security Council resolutions that raises tension and risks destabilizing regional security.

This trilateral exercise also follows the historic summit at Camp David, which brought together the leaders from the United States, Japan, and the ROK. At the first-ever standalone summit, the leaders jointly inaugurated a new era of trilateral partnership and reaffirmed that cooperation between the United States, Japan, and the ROK.

We remain committed to peace and prosperity in the region to uphold a free and open Indo-Pacific.