The U.S., South Korean and Japanese navies held a joint maritime missile defense exercise on Sunday aimed at countering North Korean missile threats, days after Pyongyang launched an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

Aegis destroyers from each country participated in the trilateral drills in the East Sea (Sea of Japan), which simulated a hypothetical ballistic missile launch, the ROK navy said in a press release Sunday. 

The three destroyers were the U.S. John Finn, South Korea’s Yulgok Yi I and Japan’s Maya.

“This exercise served as an opportunity to enhance our military’s response capabilities against ballistic missiles and improve security cooperation