South Korea and the United States began joint naval maneuver drills in waters off the Korean Peninsula Friday as part of their annual major military exercise Foal Eagle, the Navy here said.
  

The allies' navies "will stage joint maneuver drills in the South, Yellow and East Seas in succession from today until mid-March to boost joint operations capabilities and to solidify the joint defense posture," the Navy said in a statement.
  

During the four-day joint drill that began earlier in the day in the South Sea, the military is to carry out a live-fire drill and tactical war games.
  

The exercise will mobilize some 10 South Korean ships including the country's 4,400-ton KDX-II type destroyer, the Ganggamchan, as well as Lynx helicopters, P-3C patrol planes, and coast guard boats. From the U.S. side, the USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112) destroyer and the MH-60 Seahawk helicopters will take part, according to the Navy.
  

It is part of the two countries' field training exercise Foal Eagle, a large-scale annual drill slated to last from March 2 to April 24 this year that involves a set of land, sea and air maneuvers mobilizing about 200,000 Korean and 3,700 American troops.
  

"The naval maneuver drill started ahead of the official Foal Eagle schedule inevitably to fit the schedule of the U.S. ships so they could come here," a Navy officer here said. (Yonhap)