South Korea, US Launch Joint Drills Amid North Korea Threats

South Korea and the United States will begin their annual joint military exercise, Ulchi Freedom Shield 2025, on August 18.

According to BBC report, both countries aim to strengthen their combined readiness to respond quickly to North Korean threats.

This decision comes at a time of increasing tension and a prolonged diplomatic deadlock with Pyongyang.

Ulchi Freedom Shield is one of two major joint military drills held each year in South Korea. It involves both computer-simulated command post training and live field exercises.

Thousands of troops are expected to take part in the 10-day drill. Earlier this year, in March, the allies conducted another similar training exercise.

However, North Korea sees these drills as hostile.

Officials in Pyongyang often label them as “invasion rehearsals.”

In the past, North Korea has used these exercises as a reason to launch missile tests or carry out military demonstrations. Given the timing, many experts expect Pyongyang to react strongly again.

Since 2019, North Korea has refused to return to nuclear talks with the US and South Korea. Instead, Pyongyang has shifted its focus to Russia.

In recent months, it has supported Moscow by sending troops and military equipment for its war in Ukraine.

This growing alliance has added new layers of tension to regional security.

South Korean military spokesperson Lee Sung-joon confirmed that about 18,000 South Korean troops will join this year’s exercise.

Although US Forces Korea has not released its own numbers, the scale of the drill remains consistent with previous years.

Despite rumors, Lee and US Public Affairs Director Ryan Donald made it clear that there was no effort to scale back the operation.

They explained that the delay of some drills had nothing to do with diplomacy.

Instead, weather conditions forced officials to postpone 20 of the planned 40 drills until September.

Both sides still plan to carry out the full training program.

This year, commanders plan to focus heavily on threats from North Korea’s expanding missile and nuclear programs.

They will also include real-world scenarios from recent global conflicts.

These include lessons from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.

By doing this, the forces hope to improve their response times, coordination, and overall combat readiness.

As Ulchi Freedom Shield 2025 begins, regional observers expect tensions to rise.

North Korea’s next move could shape the security landscape in Northeast Asia.

The US and South Korea remain united in their goal: staying prepared for any threat that may come

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