The US and South Korean militaries have announced they will start regular joint exercises next week to prepare for contingencies on the Korean Peninsula.
The two militaries said on Monday that the Ulchi Freedom Shield drills will begin on August 21 and run through August 31.
They said the exercises are designed to strengthen the defense posture to respond to North Korea’s nuclear and missile capabilities and to reflect changes in the security environment brought by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The militaries plan to hold about 30 field drills.
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reports that the number is much higher than last year.
The exercises will be held after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed an order last Wednesday on important military measures to step up war preparations. He also called for practical military drills.
The US and South Korean forces are monitoring how North Korea will react to their exercises.
Source: NHK
