S. Korea, U.S. conduct naval training to commemorate inter-Korean naval clashes

The South Korean and United States navies conducted a joint training exercise on Friday, in remembrance of the sailors and soldiers killed in recent clashes with North Korea, the military said Friday

South Korea commemorated the deaths from the three past inter-Korean skirmishes near the western sea border area on Commemoration Day, which has been designated on the fourth Friday of March.

In 2010 alone, 48 soldiers were killed in two military conflicts between the rival Koreas. 

In March that year, North Korea torpedoed the South Korean Navy corvette Cheonan, and in October, the country shelled the frontline South Korean island of Yeonpyeong along the Northern Limit Line, the de facto maritime border.

The Friday naval training took place in South Korea's western, eastern and southern seas simultaneously, involving Aegis combat system-equipped warships from both South Korea and the U.S. destroyer along with a host of other navy vessels, the Navy said. 

A number of sea-borne aircraft were also mobilized for the drill. 

The joint drills included anti-submarine operations and live-fire naval artillery exercises, as well as operations to counter special naval warfare forces, according to the Navy. 

"If the enemy (North Korea) provokes again, we will retaliate mercilessly with powerful counter fire," said Rear Adm. Park Dong-sun, who commanded the drills. (Yonhap)