A series of summer military drills between the United States and South Korea is set to commence next week, with this year’s practices emphasizing the apparent nuclear threat posed by North Korea and the ability of allies to defend against such threats.
In the north, however, the drills are viewed more as practice for invasion, to which it does not take kindly and instead boosts its nuclear weapon development. Tensions between the Korean nations have been increasing steadily in recent months, sparking the south’s Western ally to step in and lend a hand.
The annual Ulchi Freedom Shield drills will be held from August 19 through August 29, according to American and South Korean officials. The exercises will include computer simulations of threat scenarios which are intended to better prepare the allies for cyberattacks, missiles, and GPS jamming threats. Live-fire drills and field maneuvers will also be practiced.
The goal of South Korea and the United States is to “further strengthen” their abilities to “deter and defend” against the north’s threat of using “weapons of mass destruction.” The south’s Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson, Lee Sung Joon, said in a press conference that roughly 19,000 military members from his country will be involved in the “essential” exercises to be trained to provide “a strong defense” for the country.
United States Forces Korea spokesperson Ryan Donald did not reveal how many American soldiers will be participating in the drills and could not confirm if the country would be using strategic assets such as bombers, aircraft carriers, and submarines. Instead, he said that the drills are going to “reflect realistic threats” from North Korea and incorporate “lessons learned from recent” battles.
But South Korea is not stopping with its joint efforts with America. From August 19 through August 22, the country will host civil defense and evacuation exercises, supported by the military, including how residents will respond to nuclear attacks.
The tension between the two sides continues to grow while Kim Jong Un of North Korea verbally threatens his southern neighbor and its Western ally. He has also been using the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine as an opportunity to push the development of nuclear weapons.
Such tensions reached a high point in June, when both sides launched intimidating messages of frustration to each other. North Korea, for its part, flew hundreds of balloons filled with trash—including cigarette butts, batteries, and manure—across the border. South Korea responded by promising “unbearable” actions against the north and even suspended a major deal intended to promote peace instead of division among the two neighbors. Experts said at the time that South Korea’s continuation of live-fire drills and broadcasts in opposition to the north’s communist regime could result in North Korea launching its own attacks at the border.
The summer drills also predate joint military drills from the United States and South Korea which were initiated in March with the intention of preparing to defend the south against increasing threats from the north.
