The Ulchi Freedom Shield is to begin next Monday for an 11-day run and its scale will be similar to previous years with about 18,000 South Korean soldiers participating in it, South Korean military spokesperson Jang Do-young told reporters, AP reported.
Speaking at the same news conference, US military spokesperson Ryan Donald said by incorporating realistic threats including “lessons from recent conflicts,” the exercise will serve as an opportunity to further strengthen the alliance’s readiness and capabilities through combined, joint, all-domain operations.
The upcoming summertime drill is one of the two main combined exercises conducted by South Korea and US militaries annually, along with their springtime training. The US military said the Ulchi Freedom Shield features “live, virtual, constructive and field-based training.”
North Korea had no immediate comments. But it has steadfastly described any major US-South Korean military drills as a practice to invade North Korea and responded with provocative weapons tests and fiery rhetoric. South Korean and US officials have said their joint exercises are defensive in nature.
On Thursday, South Korea, the US and Japan detected the launch of a short-range ballistic missile from North Korea in what was the North’s first ballistic weapons testing activity since late June. The missile landed in the waters of North Korea’s east coast.
MNA
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