South Korea holds large-scale navy drills in Yellow Sea

A joint, large-scale military training of the South Korean and US navies have started in the Yellow Sea, the South Korean Yonhap reports.

The four-day navy training is taking place within the framework of South Korea’s annual "Hoguk" defence drills, which will last from October 18-28.

As the South Korean Navy states, the drills are "aimed at enhancing the military's combined and joint maritime operational capabilities against enemy provocations with a focus on improving capabilities of maritime counter special operation forces and responses to North Korea's provocations near the Northern Limit Line (NLL), the de facto maritime border [between South and North Korea]".

Earlier on October 24, South Korea's military announced it fired warning shots at a North Korean ship that crossed the NLL, with the former responding with multiple rocket launcher shots into the waters.

Over 20 warships, including Aegis destroyers and frigates, will participate in the drills along with the Korean army's apache helicopter and the Air Force's F-15K and F-16 fighter jets. The US Army's Apache helicopters and its Air Force's A-10 aircraft will also be used during the training.