US, South Korea, Japan launch second multidomain military drill in East Asia

According to KBS World, the three-day exercise is taking place in international waters of S Korea's southern island

South Korea, the US and Japan on Wednesday launched their second trilateral multidomain exercise in international waters of the East Asian country, local media reported.

According to KBS World, the three-day exercise is taking place in international waters of South Korea's southern island of Jeju.

This is the second trilateral multidomain military drill on the Korean Peninsula. The first drill Freedom Edge was held in June this year.

The drill comes amid increasing rival military activities on the Korean Peninsula where Seoul and Pyongyang are closing alliances with Western powers as well as Russia.

On Tuesday, the US Indo-Pacific Command in a statement said Freedom Edge continues to demonstrate the defensive posture and unbreakable will of Japan, South Korea and the US to promote trilateral multidomain interoperability and to protect freedom for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, including the Korean Peninsula.

Ships and aircraft are taking part in the drill being held a day after North Korea said its leader Kim Jong Un signed a decree and ratified a major defense pact with Russia, which includes a provision committing both nations to mutual military assistance in the event of an attack on either side.

On Saturday, President Vladimir Putin also signed a law, ratifying the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty between Russia and North Korea.

The US and South Korea claimed that North Korea sent its troops to Russia to fight against Ukraine.

On Tuesday, a Ukrainian official claimed that 50,000 Russian and North Korea troops are deployed to the Kursk region to fight against Ukrainian forces.