The U.S. Department of Defense has reaffirmed that the USS George Washington aircraft carrier will indeed take part in joint naval exercises with South Korea in the Yellow Sea.

The confirmation came on Thursday when department spokesman Geoff Morrell responded to a reporter’s question on whether the supercarrier will join the exercise now that North Korea is reportedly willing to come back to the six-way nuclear talks.

Morrell said that the move to dispatch the carrier is meant to send a message to the North about its behavior.

The naval drill in the Yellow Sea is expected to take place next month.