South Korea, US kick off annual drills over North's military, cyber threats

SEOUL - South Korea and the United States have initiated their annual summer military exercises, aimed at bolstering their joint preparedness to counter North Korea's weapons and cyber threats. The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, scheduled to conclude on August 29, take place amidst North Korea's accelerating nuclear and missile programs and efforts to launch reconnaissance satellites.

The drills will encompass "realistic threats" across all domains, including the North's missile threats, GPS jamming, cyberattacks, and other lessons learned from recent incidents, according to the two nations' militaries. Concurrently, South Korea will conduct the Ulchi civil defense drills, under the scenario of a potential nuclear attack by the North, officials stated.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol emphasized the need for a robust readiness posture against North Korea, describing it as "the most reckless and irrational country in the world." Drawing parallels to conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, he remarked, "War can break out at any time," and highlighted the evolving nature of warfare, which now includes hybrid forms that blend regular, irregular, and cyber warfare, as well as psychological warfare utilizing fake news.

Approximately 19,000 South Korean troops will participate in the exercises, similar to last year, with 48 rounds of combined field training, including field maneuvers, live fire, and amphibious exercises, as noted by Yoon. Pyongyang has consistently condemned the allies for escalating tensions through military drills, labeling them as rehearsals for a nuclear war.

Seoul and Washington maintain that the exercises are defensive and a response to the North's threats.

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