Seoul: The Navy announced that it conducted live fleet exercises in waters off the western and southern coasts earlier this week as part of efforts to boost combat readiness.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the four-day drills, which began on Tuesday, involved around 20 surface ships and naval aircraft. These exercises aimed to hone responses to maritime contingencies and regional operational environments, ensuring that each fleet maintains a firm combat readiness posture.

The Second Fleet, responsible for defending the Yellow Sea, deployed the 7,600-ton Aegis-equipped ROKS Yulgok Yi I destroyer, the flagship 3,200-ton Eulji Mundeok warship, and the P-3C and P-8A patrol aircraft, along with the AW-159 and Lynx naval combat helicopters. Also participating in the drills were the KF-16 fighter of the Air Force and the AH-64E Apache attack chopper of the U.S. Forces Korea.

The Third Fleet, based on the southern coast, mobilized the 4,400-ton Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin-class destroyer and the 2,500-ton Jeonbuk frigate, along with patrol aircraft and naval helicopters. The drills in the Yellow Sea focused on countering special operations of an infiltrating enemy at sea and sharpening maneuvers for electromagnetic, anti-submarine, anti-drone, and anti-surface warfare.

The exercise off the southern coast was also conducted to execute similar drills and check the defense posture of key ports in the area, the Navy stated.