US, South Korea Cancel Joint Military Exercises - Updated

(Seoul, South Korea) Breaking! Plans have changed! The U.S. and South Korean governments have canceled a major joint military exercise in response to objections expressed by China.

A US aircraft carrier was to participate in the exercise, which has been cancelled over fears that it could heighten tensions around the peninsula ahead of the G20 summit in Seoul, Yonhap news agency said.

"There will be no exercise involving a US aircraft carrier this year," an unnamed senior South Korean official was quoted as saying. The South's defence ministry refused to comment.

Seoul will host world leaders including US President Barack Obama for the summit from November 11-12, in what is considered the nation's biggest appearance on the global stage since the 1988 Olympics in the capital.

So, first they move the location of the war games and now they have been canceled. Heh.

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US Aircraft Carrier Deploys to South Korea
[Previous 7/20/10 post]


USS George Washington CVN-73
The USS George Washington (CVN-73) and its task force warships will steam into Busan Port, South Korea tomorrow and drop anchor.

The massive nuclear-powered aircraft carrier has been deployed reportedly as a show of force in the aftermath of the sinking of a South Korean warship, Cheonan, last March. North Korea has been blamed for the sinking.

The George Washington may participate in upcoming joint military exercises with South Korea.

Meanwhile, China has protested the South Korean-U.S. exercises, countering by conducting their own military exercises. Ominously, with everyone rattling sabers, it's getting a bit more dicey in the northeast region of Asia.

[Add.] It's being reported that the U.S. essentially caved to Chinese sensitivities by changing the the location of the upcoming naval exercises from the West Sea to the "Sea of Japan," otherwise known as the East Sea.

Get the smelling salts! A South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman blurted that the use of "Sea of Japan" was diplomatically disrespectful. The U.S. must be cognizant of the fact that the Koreans have no love for the Japanese and making seemingly any reference to Japan's existence is an insult.

Heh.