Aegis-equipped destroyer USS Stethem arrives in S. Korea as part of drill

SEOUL, March 17 (Yonhap) -- An Aegis-equipped U.S. destroyer arrived in South Korea's eastern port on Friday to participate in an ongoing joint military drill by Seoul and Washington, the military said.

USS Stethem will stay in Donghae, about 280 kilometers east of Seoul, from March 17-21 as part of the Foal Eagle field training exercise, a defense ministry official said.

The 8,400-ton naval vessel is scheduled to take part in the joint maritime exercise between the allies on Tuesday in the East Sea, he said.

Seoul and Washington kicked off the two-month Foal Eagle combat training exercise on March 1 and the computer-based war game Key Resolve started Monday for a two-week run.

Pyongyang has long denounced the exercises as war rehearsals for a northern invasion despite Seoul and Washington's assurance that they are defensive in nature.

kyongae.choi@yna.co.kr
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