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This photo released by the Republic of Korea Navy shows its warship taking part in the 2019 East Sea territorial defense exercise in the waters around Dokdo. (provided by the Republic of Korea Navy)

South Korea held its biannual “East Sea territorial defense exercise” Tuesday in the waters around Dokdo, while the Japanese government used the exercise as an excuse to cancel a previously arranged meeting between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga at the G7 summit in Cornwall, England.

A military official said Tuesday, “South Korean armed forces have been holding ‘East Sea territorial defense exercises’ every year to deter any threats to our territory and lives and property of our people.”

The exercise was not opened to the public this year and only involved assets from the Navy, the Air Force and the Coast Guard. No ground assets were deployed, and physical contact among service members was minimized out of concerns about COVID-19.

The exercise has been taking place biannually since 1986.

By Gil Yun-hyung, staff reporter

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