U.S.-S.Korea military exercises begin

TOKYO -- Taking their boldest step yet since the March sinking of the Cheonan warship, the United States and South Korea on Sunday began a massive joint military exercise designed to show off power and solidarity in a region divided by tensions.

The military muscle-buoy came after months of delays and revisions, and despite resistance from China and threats from North Korea.

The so-called "war games" are general exercises for U.S. and South Korean forces, but this operation codenamed "Invincible Spirit", which involved nearly unprecedented firepower - a specific deterrent against future reckless behavior from Pyongyang, U.S. officials said.

"The point of [exercise] is, I feel for sure that our relationship to the southern very strong ... and also send the message to the North Koreans that their conduct is completely contrary to international norms, totally unacceptable," Adm . Mike Mullen, Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, said earlier this week.

North Korea had said Saturday that it would counteract the military exercise with the "strong nuclear deterrence" but the first day of the four-day exercises resulted in no further response from Kim Jong Il's government.

Putting on the military fireworks, the U.S. and South Korea sent about 20 ships, 200 aircraft and 8,000 sailors and pilots to the Sea of Japan. These exercises will showcase, in particular, a small fleet of F-22 fighter jets and 97,000-ton nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS George Washington. According to a report in the Korean media, an exercise involving anti-submarine bombs - designed to prevent future incidents similar to Cheonan sinking - will take place later this week.

North Korea has denied any role in the 26th Mar. torpedoing of warship that killed 46 South Korean sailors. Earlier in this month, denounced the UN Security sinking but not directly to blame North Korea.

South Korea and the United States had discussed these exercises for several months, but postponed them until after the Security Council completed its work. Facing fierce opposition from China, decided the U.S. and South Korean officials to move the drills from the Yellow sea (west of South Korea) to the Sea of Japan (East). Subsequent military exercises planned in the coming months to take place in the Yellow Sea in international waters that China considers its doorstep.
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Beijing continues to protest that possibility.

"We resolutely oppose any activity in the Yellow Sea that could threaten China's security," said a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman.

Meantime nuclear-capable North Korea, with 1.5 million troops and weapons pointed at Seoul, said that the U.S. South Korea joint exercise threatens security in the region and has warned against a "retaliation holy war."

North Korea routinely answering exercises with threats of aggression. Last year, Pyongyang demanded the repeal of joint exercises and said provocations leading to war. But North Korea is political uncertainty ailing Kim Jong Il reasons a power transfer to his son, now have increased reason to seek confrontation with U.S. and South Korea, according to experts and political