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South Korea, the United States and Japan launched their trilateral multi-domain exercise Monday, the South Korean Yonhap news agency reported citing the military.
The five-day Freedom Edge exercise got under way in international waters east and south of South Korea's southern island of Jeju from Sept. 15-19, according to the report.
The ongoing exercise is the third round of the trilateral drills, following previous rounds of the exercise conducted in June and November last year, respectively.
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said the exercise "demonstrates the countries' shared commitment to collectively achieve and maintain peace in the Asia-Pacific."
The exercise will feature training aimed at sharpening ballistic missile defense capabilities, as well as air defense exercises, medical evacuation training and maritime interdiction operation training, it said.
North Korea has condemned the drills, calling them “dangerous” and a “reckless show of strength,” Al Jazeera reported citing a statement by Pyongyang.