Korea, US hold joint mine warfare exercise in waters off Pohang

Korea and the United States have conducted a combined naval exercise in waters near the southeastern coastal city of Pohang to enhance their joint mine warfare capabilities, the Korean Navy said Wednesday. The nine-day exercise, which concluded on Tuesday, involved 10 warships and three helicopters from both sides, including Korea's Nampo MLS-II minelayer and the U.S. mine countermeasures ship USS Warrior (MCM-10), according to the Navy. The training involved various exercises — such as laying, detecting and removing mines — aimed at familiarizing troops with combined operations procedures and sharpening their skills for using manned and unmanned assets for mine warfare. "Through continued practical mine warfare training, we will bolster our capabilities to protect our major ports and maritime transportation routes in the event of a contingency," Capt. Lee Taeg-seon, commander of the Korean Navy's Mine Squadron 52, said in a release. The latest drills marked the 10th naval mine warfare exercise the allies conducted since launching the exercise in 2014.