SOUTH KOREA AND THE UNITED STATES HAVE INITIATED THEIR ANNUAL LARGE-SCALE JOINT MILITARY EXERCISE TO ADDRESS NORTH KOREAN THREATS.
THE 11-DAY ULCHI FREEDOM SHIELD, THE SECOND OF TWO LARGE-SCALE EXERCISES HELD ANNUALLY IN SOUTH KOREA, WILL INVOLVE 21,000 SOLDIERS, INCLUDING 18,000 SOUTH KOREANS, IN COMPUTER-SIMULATED COMMAND POST OPERATIONS AND FIELD TRAINING.
IN A RECENT MEETING WITH NEWSMEN, COMMANDER OF U.S. FORCES KOREA, GEN. XAVIER BRUNSON, STRESSED THE NEED TO “MODERNIZE” THE ALLIANCE TO ADDRESS THE EVOLVING SECURITY ENVIRONMENT, INCLUDING NORTH KOREA’S NUCLEAR AMBITIONS, ITS DEEPENING ALIGNMENT WITH RUSSIA, AND WHAT HE CALLED CHINESE THREATS TO A “FREE AND OPEN INDO-PACIFIC.
NORTH KOREA HAD EARLIER WARNED THAT THE DRILLS WOULD DEEPEN REGIONAL TENSIONS, VOWING TO RESPOND TO ANY PROVOCATION AGAINST ITS TERRITORY.
