Seoul: South Korea and the United States concluded major joint military exercises on Thursday to bolster combined defense readiness amid ongoing criticism from North Korea.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, which featured a four-day civil defense drill in South Korea, wrapped up after 11 days. This comes amid rising concerns over North Korea's nuclear missile developments and its increasingly close military ties with Russia.
The Combined Forces Command announced that the US and the Republic of Korea completed Exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield 25. This initiative reinforced the alliance's defensive stance, enhanced combined readiness, and showcased the ability to deter aggression and defend both nations.
The command emphasized the drills affirm the alliance's role as a "linchpin" of regional security and highlighted the "ironclad" US commitment to South Korea's defense.
This was the first significant exercise since South Korean President Lee Jae Myung assumed office, who has vowed to improve strained inter-Korean relations. The report noted that while the scale was similar to that of 2024, about half of the 40 planned field training sessions were postponed until September.
North Korea released multiple statements condemning the exercises, with leader Kim Jong Un asserting they were intended to "ignite a war." The US and South Korea maintained that the drills are defensive, with US Forces Korea stating they are "far from aggression."