South Korea and US to conduct annual summer military exercise in response to North Korean missile threat.

South Korean and American officials announced on Monday (August 12) that the two countries will begin their annual summer military exercise next week to enhance their capabilities in responding to North Korean weapons and cyber threats.

The exercise, named “Ulchi Freedom Shield,” will take place from August 19th to 29th. This comes at a time when North Korea continues to escalate threats, develop its nuclear and missile programs, and attempt to launch reconnaissance satellites.

According to Voice of America, in early March 2024, the South Korean and American militaries conducted an 11-day spring joint military exercise involving computer-simulated command post training and field exercises, with the number of participating forces and training frequency doubled compared to 2023.

In a joint statement, the military forces of South Korea and the United States expressed that the summer exercise will address “realistic threats” from all domains, including missile threats from North Korea, GPS interference, cyber attacks, and lessons learned from recent events.

Colonel Lee Sung-jun, a spokesman for the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated in a briefing that the alliance will further enhance its deterrence and defense capabilities against weapons of mass destruction.

Colonel Lee mentioned that the South Korean military will also support a government-led emergency logistics exercise scenario simulating North Korea’s nuclear provocation called “Ulchi Civil Defense.”

Approximately 19,000 South Korean troops will participate in 48 rounds of joint field training, including field maneuvers, live-fire shooting, and amphibious exercises.

Colonel Ryan Donald, a spokesperson for the US Forces in Korea, noted that this annual exercise is one of the largest in the Indo-Pacific region, with member countries of the United Nations Command also participating. The United Nations Command is a multinational military organization established to support South Korea during and after the Korean War.

North Korea has long condemned allied countries like South Korea and the US for escalating tensions through military exercises, labeling them as rehearsals for a nuclear war. However, Seoul and Washington maintain that these exercises are defensive in nature and a response to North Korean threats.

Since the beginning of 2022, North Korea has conducted over a hundred missile tests to modernize its arsenal, violating UN Security Council resolutions restricting Pyongyang’s weapons programs. In response, South Korea and the US have gradually expanded the scale of training exercises and increased the deployment of US military assets on the Korean Peninsula, such as aircraft carriers and nuclear-capable bombers.

In early 2024, North Korea carried out six rounds of missile tests and a series of artillery drills. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un stated that North Korea is no longer seeking peaceful reunification with South Korea and will adopt a more aggressive military posture at the disputed maritime borders between the two countries. He also reiterated that in case of provocation, they will “eliminate” South Korea and the US.

(Information sourced from Reuters)