South Korea–U.S. joint military exercise "Ulchi Freedom Shield" begins today

We start here in South Korea where military officials from Seoul and Washington have begun their annual summertime training aimed at bolstering their defense posture against potential threats.

Our Byeon Ye-young reports.

The annual Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States began today.

The combined drills, aimed at defending the Korean Peninsula in the event of a contingency, will run through the 28th.

"This is a defensive exercise conducted annually, and this year's scenarios incorporate realistic threats, including those analyzed from recent wartime situations."

The exercise has also been strengthened to prepare for new security challenges, such as drone, GPS, and cyber attacks, as well as advanced weapons powered by cutting-edge technology.

Around 18,000 South Korean troops are taking part, about the same as last year, along with a similar number of U.S. troops.

About half of the 40 planned field drills have been postponed to next month, with the ongoing heat waves cited as a reason for the adjustment.

While Pyongyang dismissed the drills, concerns remain that it may use the UFS as a pretext for provocations.

In a statement last Thursday, Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, called the joint drills "worthless and futile."

At a briefing on Monday, when asked about preemptive measures to help improve inter-Korean relations, South Korea's Ministry of National Defense said it had no specific updates for now.

"I don't have anything specific to share at this point. What I can say is that the Ministry of National Defense will continue to support the government's efforts to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula, while maintaining military readiness and steadily pursuing effective measures to ease tensions."

Meanwhile, a 20-minute nationwide civil defense drill will take place on Wednesday at 2 PM (KST).

The drill will involve air raid evacuation training and exercises to clear the way for fire trucks, ambulances and other rescue vehicles.

Byeon Ye-young, Arirang News.