
South Korea and the United States start their largest ever military exercises today on 22nd August 2022. Both nations will take part in field training and seek to increase their preparedness against North Korean weapons.
The exercises are said to conclude on the 1st of September.
Both Washington and Seoul hold annual joint exercises to share combat capabilities, increase interoperability, and communication and boost operational preparedness against Pyongyang’s aggression.
These exercises have been renamed to “Ulchi Freedom Shield”. This will include military drills between the South Korean and American armies along with a 4-day civil defence drill which is separately conducted by South Korea and is designed to boost government readiness. This is the first time such exercises have been held since the pandemic started.
The military and civil drills are aimed to improve preparedness in changing times of war that include cyber-warfare, eliminating threats and damage to key industries like food and supply chain and chip factories.
These are the largest drills held since 2017 as tensions between both neighbours cooled down since efforts to establish peace and escalations were made between former President Moon Jae-In and Kim Jong Un with the help of former American President Donald Trump.
Yoon Suk-Yeol, the president of South Korea had promised to normalise relations with their northern neighbour when he took charge of the office in May of this year.
Officials from Seoul claim that North Korea has conducted missile tests at an unprecedented pace this year and is ready to conduct its seventh nuclear test at any time.
Earlier last week, the North Koreans fired two cruise missiles from their western coastal city of Ochon toward the Yellow Sea as the Americans and the South Koreans held preliminary exercises preluding the Ulchi Freedom Shield. This was a move to intimidate the allies.
President Yoon expressed willingness to provide the North Koreans with financial aid if they denuclearised and ended their weapons programme.