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 address North Korea's weapons and cyber threats. The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, set to conclude on August 29, are taking place amidst North Korea's accelerated nuclear and missile programs and efforts to launch reconnaissance satellites.

The drills will encompass "realistic threats" across all domains, including North Korea's missile threats, GPS jamming, cyberattacks, and other lessons learned from recent incidents, according to the militaries of the two countries.

Simultaneously, South Korea will conduct separate government-led Ulchi civil defense drills, simulating a scenario of a nuclear attack by the North, officials stated.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol emphasized the need for a thorough readiness posture against North Korea, describing it as "the most reckless and irrational country in the world."

"War can break out at any time, as seen in Ukraine and the conflicts in the Middle East," he remarked during a cabinet meeting.

"The nature of war has evolved from the past, now being carried out in a hybrid form that combines regular, irregular, and cyber warfare, as well as public opinion and psychological warfare using fake news."

Approximately 19,000 South Korean troops will participate in the exercises, similar to the previous year, with 48 rounds of combined field training, including field maneuver, live fire, and amphibious exercises, as mentioned by Yoon.

Pyongyang has consistently condemned the allies for escalating tensions with military drills, labeling them as rehearsals for a nuclear war.

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

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