US Aegis destroyer visits Jeju naval base for first time

SEOGUIPO -- A US Aegis destroyer visited South Korea's naval base on the southern resort island of Jeju on Saturday, becoming the first foreign warship to visit the base since it opened in February last year, officials said.

The 8,400-ton USS Stethem arrived at the base at around 9:50 a.m. for a two-day stay, after participating in the Foal Eagle joint military drills with South Korea in the East Sea from March 17-21, according to the officials. 

An Aegis-equipped US destroyer USS Stethem enters South Korea's naval base on the southern resort island of Jeju on March 25, 2017, after taking part in the two countries' joint drill from March 17-21. (Yonhap)

The soldiers will take part in various programs to boost ties between the two countries and rest before heading back to the vessel's home port in Japan, they said.

The residents of a nearby village held a press conference and protested the ship's entry, saying it would bring "catastrophe" to the "peaceful" island. 

Seoul and Washington kicked off the two-month Foal Eagle combat training exercise on March 1. Separately, the two allies ended their two-week computer-based war game Key Resolve on Friday.

Pyongyang has long denounced the exercises as war rehearsals for a northern invasion despite Seoul and Washington's assurance that they are defensive in nature. (Yonhap)