USA: According to the South Korean Defense Ministry, the Ulchi-Freedom Shield (UFS) - a joint military exercise between the United States and South Korea - will conduct drills involving 13 field training programmes, including one to test the full operational capability of South Korean forces in the event of a Pyongyang attack. 

The United States and South Korea began large-scale military and civil defence drills on and around the Korean peninsula on Monday, according to the South Korean Defense Ministry.

Troops from both countries are resuming field training and live-fire drills as part of this year's Ulchi-Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise, which had been suspended since 2017 as former South Korean President Moon Jae-in pushed for normalising relations with North Korea.

When Moon's successor, Yoon Suk-yeol, took office in May, he pledged to "normalise" the combat drills in an effort to boost deterrence capabilities against North Korea.

The UFS, according to Seoul, will consist of three major components: a computer-simulated command post exercise, field training, and civil defence drills.

According to South Korean officials, the first part of the drills will focus on "repelling" a potential North Korean attack and simulating the defence of South Korea's capital Seoul, while the second part will focus on "counter-attack."

According to Yonhap News Agency, approximately 480,000 people from 4,000 South Korean public-sector companies are expected to participate in the civil defence - or annual Ulchi - drills.
President Yoon, speaking to a cabinet meeting on Monday, urged public participation in civil defence drills to "support military operations" in the event of a North Korean attack.

North Korea Criticizes Joint Military Drills

North Korea has been harshly critical of the region's joint military exercises, launching two cruise missiles off its western coast last week in what is being interpreted as a protest.
Pyongyang has described the UFS as South Korea and the United States preparing for war.

North Korea launched its latest cruise missiles as South Korea's President celebrated his 100th day in office. President Yoon has offered North Korea economic aid in exchange for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agreeing to abandon the country's nuclear programme.
According to CNN, Pyongyang has conducted 18 missile tests this year, compared to five in 2021. According to US intelligence, Pyongyang is also planning its first nuclear test in the coming months, which would be its first in five years.

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