Yul Kwon:
Hi, welcome to LinkAsia. I'm Yul Kwon. We've been keeping an eye on the US as it shifts its military focus to Asia. And this week the US is teaming up with South Korea and Japan to test its comprehensive AirSea strategy for Asia. The three countries are conducting military drills off Jeju Island in the Yellow Sea. Here's South Korean broadcaster MBC with the story.

Reporter:
The naval forces of South Korea, the US, and Japan will hold joint naval drills around South Korea's southern island of Jeju for two days. Starting June 23rd, joint South Korean-US naval exercises will take place with the participation of aircraft carrier George Washington in the Yellow Sea, or West Sea, facing China. China is complaining about these drills, saying that a "new cold war is beginning." Regardless of China's complaints, Leon Panetta, the US Secretary of Defense, has announced that the US will redeploy 60 percent of its naval forces to the Pacific region and support the existing six aircraft carriers there. The US is relocating 10 percent more forces to the Asia-Pacific region.

Kim Jong-dae, Editor-In-Chief of Defence 21:
It's called AirSea Strategy. In other words, the US promotes defense strategies against China by joint drills in the sea and the air. The US is strengthening naval forces in the Asia-Pacific region in the name of countering China's nationalism.

Reporter:
A dark cloud has been hanging over the Korean Peninsula since the Cheonan incident and the death of Kim Jong-il. So the US military believes it can't give up playing a controlling role after it hands over wartime operational control to South Korea. Also, by deploying US forces, which need a lot of financial support, on the Korean Peninsula, the US military is able to minimize the financial burden, by dividing the defense cost of maintaining US Armed Forces in Korea with the Korean government.

Shin In-gyeun, Korea Defence Network:
It is true that this would be helpful for the stability of the Korean peninsula. In the past, the US military put forces in Japan, but now, actual US military power can be moved to the US Armed Forces in Korea.

Reporter:
Since the US has somewhat pulled out of the Middle East, the US is focused on Asia now. Experts say "a new defense strategy" has already begun .

Yul Kwon:
In response to China's speculation that the U.S. is using the same cold war tactics that were used against the former Soviet Union, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta recently said that American efforts to renew and intensify its involvement in Asia is fully compatible with the development and growth of China.