US aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan is escorted into the port of Busan, Republic of Korea on September 23, 2022. LEE JIN-MAN AP SEOUL The Republic of Korea and the United States have launched joint maritime drills near the Korean Peninsula, involving a US aircraft carrier and over 20 warships from the two sides.
The military exercise was scheduled to continue for four days on Monday in the country's eastern waters, according to the defense ministry.
More than 20 battleships will be mobilized for the exercise, including a 7,600 ton Aegis destroyer and a 4,400 ton destroyer from the ROK side as well as the USS Ronald Reagan carrier strike group that arrived in the ROK's southeastern port city of Busan on Friday.
The strike group consists of a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the USS Chancellorsville guided-missile cruiser, the USS Barry Arleigh Burke-class destroyer and the USS Benfold guided-missile destroyer.
The USS Annapolis submarine, powered by the nuclear-powered US Navy, was expected to join the naval exercise.
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It was the first time in five years that a US aircraft carrier visited the ROK for joint military exercises.
A variety of aircraft and choppers will join the naval drills, including F A-18 E Super Hornets, P -- 3 and P -- 8 maritime surveillance aircraft, AW 159 and MH 60 R helicopters, F -- 15 K and KF 16 fighter jets and AH 64 E Apache helicopters.
The combined naval forces of the two countries will hold various drills on anti-ship and anti-submarine operations, tactical maneuvers and other maritime operations.
The Joint Exercise was a rehearsal for a Northward invasion, according to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
The DPRK fired a short-range ballistic missile into its eastern waters Sunday, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the ROK.
READ MORE: US aircraft carrier to visit ROK for combined drills.