The United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) will conduct two new military training exercises in the wake of the sinking of an ROK warship, the Pentagon said on Monday.
The U.S. Navy will conduct anti-submarine and maritime interdiction training with the ROK side after consulting with the ROK counterparts regarding the sinking of the frigate Cheonan on March 26, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters, without providing any details or timelines on the two exercises.
"We think this is an area, where working with the Republic of Korea, that we can hone skills and improve capabilities," he said. "These two activities are important in that we can continue to build on our strong foundation of cooperation and deterrence."
The White House issued a statement early Monday, saying that President Barack Obama "fully supports" the ROK's response to the sinking of Cheonan.
"U.S. support for South Korea's defense is unequivocal, and the president has directed his military commanders to coordinate closely with their Republic of Korea counterparts to ensure readiness and to deter future aggression," said the statement.