S. KOREA-U.S.-JAPAN CONTINUE JOINT DRILLS

[Anchor Lead]

In the wake of North Korea's repeated missile launches, South Korea, the United States and Japan are carrying on joint naval exercises for the second week. President Yoon Suk-yeol talked with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the phone and agreed to work together in responding sternly to North Korean provocations.

[Pkg]

The South Korean and American Navies, together with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces, conducted joint missile defense drills on the East Sea's international waters yesterday. This is the first-ever joint naval exercise carried out for two consecutive weeks by the three countries. The three nations simulated North Korea's ballistic missile provocation to share target data and train on detection, tracking and interception procedures. Taking part in the exercises were South Korea's King Sejong the Great Aegis class destroyer, the USS Ronald Reagan supercarrier of the U.S. Navy, and the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Forces' Aegis class destroyer.

[Soundbite] Kim Jun-rak(Joint Chiefs of Staff) : "Through these maritime missile defense exercises, the three countries' operation execution capability and posture against DPRK's missile provocation are expected to further strengthen."

The USS Reagan had moved on to Japanese waters after the ROK-U.S. joint exercises and the tripartite anti-submarine drills last week. But in an unusual move, the nuclear-powered flagship of Carrier Strike Group Five returned to Korea's East Sea on Wednesday. When North Korea fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile over Japan on October 4th in blatant provocation. President Yoon Suk-yeol talked with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the phone about DPRK's repeated provocations. During a 25-minute phone call, the two leaders condemned "North Korea's ballistic missile firing as a serious and significant provocation" and agreed to work together with their American partner for stern security responses.

[Soundbite] Yoon Suk-yeol(President) : "I will look after the people's lives and safety with the strong ROK-US alliance and tripartite security cooperation."

South Korea's National Security Council held an emergency meeting to issue a strong warning that North Korea's provocations will be met with even more powerful responses.