Latest news with #UlchiFreedomShield2025
South China Morning Post
21 hours ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
South Korea, US kick off Ulchi Freedom Shield drills with 21,000 troops
South Korea and the United States began their annual large-scale joint military exercise on Monday to better cope with threats from nuclear-armed North Korea , which has warned the drills would deepen regional tensions and vowed to respond to 'any provocation' against its territory. The 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield, the second of two large-scale exercises held annually in South Korea, after another set in March, will involve 21,000 soldiers, including 18,000 South Koreans, in computer-simulated command post operations and field training. The drills, which the allies describe as defensive, could trigger a response from North Korea, which has long portrayed the exercises as invasion rehearsals and has often used them as a pretext for military demonstrations and weapons tests aimed at advancing its nuclear programme. In a statement last week, North Korean Defence Minister No Kwang-chol said the drills showed the allies' stance of 'military confrontation' with the North and declared that its forces would be ready to counteract 'any provocation going beyond the boundary line'. Colonel Lee Sung-jun (left), public affairs director for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff and Colonel Ryan Donald, public affairs director of the United States Forces Korea, at the press briefing of the Ulchi Freedom Shield 2025 exercise on August 7. Photo: AFP
The Star
07-08-2025
- Politics
- The Star
South Korea, US to conduct major joint military drills starting August 18
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - AUGUST 7: (L to R) Col. Lee Sung-jun, public affairs director of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff and Col. Ryan Donald, public affairs director of the United Nations Command (UNC), Combined Forces Command (CFC), and United States Forces Korea (USFK) attend the press briefing of Ulchi Freedom Shield 2025 exercise at the Defense Ministry on August 07, 2025 in Seoul, South Korea. The 11-day Freedom Shield is part of an annual combined training with troops from South Korea and the United States. Chung Sung-Jun/Pool via REUTERS SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea and the United States will conduct major joint military drills starting on August 18, their military officials said on Thursday, announcing an annual defensive exercise that has been a source of tension with North Korea. The 11-day annual exercise, called Ulchi Freedom Shield, will be adjusted this year by rescheduling 20 out of 40 training events to September, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson Lee Sung-jun said at a briefing on Thursday. The decision to spread out the scheduling, included reasons such as extreme weather, he said, denying there were any political factors behind the move. This year's drill will test upgraded response to heightened North Korean nuclear threats as well as cutting-edge technologies used in modern wars, Lee said, citing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. The exercise will include a scenario on a North Korean missile launch, but would not cover a potential nuclear test by Pyongyang, he said. (Reporting by Jack Kim and Heejin Kim; Editing by Himani Sarkar, Ed Davies)
