JAPANESE WARSHIPS JOIN US FLEET NEAR NORTH KOREA

The carrier strike group participated in the Republic of Korea-United States Combined Forces Command eight week-long Foal Eagle exercise, a series of military drills conducted by U.S. and South Korean air, ground, naval, and special operations forces,” I reported on Monday. “Together with the Key Resolve computer-simulated command post exercise, Foal Eagle is the largest annually-held joint U.S.-South Korean military drill.”

In response to Pyongyang’s recent actions, Seoul successfully test fired a new ballistic missile with an estimated range of 800 kilometers in early April. The missile likely was an improved variant of the Hyunmoo which literally means “Guardian of the Northern Sky”) ballistic missile. It is scheduled to become operational by the end of 2017.

The U.S. government has openly been considering preemptive strikes against the North Korean regime. “North Korea is looking for trouble,” U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on Twitter on April 11, adding that if “China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them!” The Trump administration, however, vowed to only commence military actions following close consultations with its regional allies

Pyongyang in turn threatened with nuclear retaliation, according to Reuters quoting North Korean media. “Our revolutionary strong army is keenly watching every move by enemy elements,” an article in the state-owned Rodong Sinmun newspaper said. “With our nuclear sight focused on the U.S. invasionary bases, not only in South Korea and the Pacific operation theatre but also in the U.S. mainland.”