Combined Military Exercises by the US and South Korea Amid Reaction from North Korea
Combined Military Exercises by the US and South Korea Amid Reaction from North Korea
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In order to tighten their readiness posture in anticipation of prospective North Korean weapons tests, South Korea and the United States resumed field training on Monday as part of the start of their annual joint military exercises.

The summertime drills began after South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, who took office in May, pledged to “normalise” the combined exercises and increase deterrence against the North. This year, they were renamed Ulchi Freedom Shield and are set to expire on September 1.

The drills were reduced in recent years as a result of COVID-19 and Yoon’s predecessor’s efforts to resume discussions with Pyongyang, which has referred to the drills as a practise for an invasion.

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Following the start of the exercises’ preliminary training, South Korea and the US launched two cruise missiles from the west coast town of Onchon last week.

North Korea has performed an unprecedented number of missile tests this year and is prepared to carry out its seventh nuclear test at any time, according to officials in Seoul.

Yoon has stated that his administration is willing to grant economic assistance in exchange for Pyongyang taking steps toward denuclearization, but North Korea has rejected this offer and has publicly criticised Yoon.

The allies will conduct 11 field training programmes, including one involving thousands of soldiers at the brigade level, this summer, according to Seoul’s defence ministry.

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The ministry announced it would enhance missile detection capabilities and seek for an early deployment of a new interceptor system in order to better resist North Korea’s expanding missile threats against the capital of the South.

Ballistic missile defence exercises were recently conducted off the coast of Hawaii with participation from the United States, South Korea, and Japan. This was the first time such exercises had been conducted since 2017, when Seoul and Tokyo’s relations had reached an all-time low.