South Korean and American forces started their biggest amphibious landing exercises in years, using a U.S. amphibious assault ship, a day after North Korea fired four long-range cruise missiles.
The USS Makin Island pulled into a naval base in Busan, a port city in southeast South Korea, on Wednesday to participate in the Ssangyong exercise. The drills began on Monday off the coast of Pohang and will run through April 3.
The South Korean military says there will be about 12,000 people there, including sailors and marines from both countries as well as 30 warships, 70 aircraft, and 50 amphibious assault vehicles.
Apparently in response to the ongoing drills between the United States and South Korea, North Korea fired four cruise missiles off its east coast several hours before the ship docked, South Korea said.
The USS Makin Island has dozens of armored vehicles and ten F-35 stealth fighters. The welldeck can be flooded to provide direct access to the sea, allowing the ship to launch and recover landing craft and other amphibious vehicles.
On Thursday, the 11-day springtime exercises known as Freedom Shield 23 were set to come to a close, though the allies are still actively engaged in field training exercises known as Warrior Shield.
