South Korea and the United States are set to kick off their annual joint military exercises next week, focusing on enhancing their combined capabilities to deter and defend against the increasing nuclear threats posed by North Korea, the allies announced on Monday.
The drills have the potential to provoke a hostile response from North Korea, which perceives them as preparations for an invasion. Pyongyang has used the military cooperation between South Korea and the U.S. as a justification to push forward with its nuclear weapons and missile development programs.
This year’s Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, scheduled for August 19-29, will consist of computer-simulated exercises aimed at improving readiness against threats such as missiles, GPS jamming, and cyberattacks. The exercise will also involve field maneuvers and live-fire exercises.
Military officials from both countries emphasized the goal of enhancing their capability to deter and defend against weapons of mass destruction during a joint news conference.
With approximately 19,000 South Korean troops participating in the drills, Lee Sung-joon, spokesperson for South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, highlighted the importance of the exercises in maintaining a strong defense posture to protect the Republic of Korea.
While Ryan Donald, spokesperson for U.S Forces Korea, did not provide details on the number of U.S. troops involved, he mentioned the recent increase in the U.S. regional deployment of bombers, submarines, and aircraft carrier strike groups for joint training exercises with South Korean and Japanese assets.
The upcoming exercise is designed to address realistic threats from North Korea, including missile threats, and draw lessons from recent armed conflicts, according to Donald.
In addition to the military exercises, the South Korean military will conduct civil defense and evacuation drills based on North Korean nuclear attack scenarios from August 19-22.
Tensions remain high on the Korean Peninsula as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un capitalizes on Russia’s conflict in Ukraine to advance weapons development and issue nuclear threats toward Washington and Seoul.
To counter these threats, South Korea, the United States, and Japan have been expanding joint military exercises and strengthening their nuclear deterrence strategies that involve U.S. strategic assets.
Last year’s Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises saw North Korea conducting ballistic missile tests simulating nuclear strikes on South Korean targets.
In a strange psychological warfare tactic, North Korea recently launched balloons carrying trash toward the South, further straining relations between the two countries. The South Korean military reported that about 240 balloons were launched over the weekend, with only 10 landing in the northern areas of Seoul.
Meanwhile, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol nominated Kim Yong-hyun, his close confidant, as defense minister to replace Shin Won-sik, who was appointed national security adviser. Kim’s appointment is subject to a parliamentary hearing, as Yoon faces challenges in implementing his national security policies due to opposition from liberal lawmakers.