Seoul - South Korea, the United States and Japan carried out a joint missile warning exercise on the sea off South Korea and Japan on October 24, mobilizing four aegis combat system-equipped ships from the three countries, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). 

The two-day exercise will enable the three countries to detect and track missiles in the event of a ballistic missile launch from North Korea, the JCS said.

The military said that the exercise is designed to prepare against growing nuclear and missile threats by North Korea in accordance with the agreement made during the 48th Security Consultative Meeting between South Korea and the U.S. in October 2016.

The military said the mobilized vessels will jointly detect and track a computer-simulated missile launch and share their information, adding that no actual missile will be fired for the latest exercise.

It is the fifth joint missile warning drill among the three countries since their first in June last year.

 Photo:ROK Navy's Aegis cruiser DDG-992 Yulgok Yii. ( Yonhap News)