South Korea, Japan and US to conduct joint drills next month – report

South Korea, Japan, and the United States will conduct joint military drills from September 9 to 11 to test readiness against North Korea's missile and nuclear weapons threats. The annual Freedom Edge drills, described as defensive, will take place in international waters south and east of South Korea's Jeju island. This exercise follows US President Donald Trump's scaling back and subsequent cancellation of other joint drills, partly due to Seoul's refusal to assist in the Iran war and his view that previous drills sent "a wrong message to North Korea." Trump is seeking a new summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.