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US, South Korea to Launch Freedom Shield Drills Amid North Korea Tensions
The United States and South Korea will hold the Freedom Shield military drills from March 9ā19 to bolster joint defense readiness amid stalled diplomacy and rising tensions with North Korea.
Picture from South Korea UN
The United States and South Korean militaries said Wednesday they will conduct their annual springtime joint exercises next month to strengthen combined defense capabilities, as diplomatic ties with nuclear-armed North Korea remain stalled.
The Freedom Shield drills are scheduled for March 9-19, the allies announced. North Korea has long denounced the alliesā joint exercises as rehearsals for invasion and has used them as justification to ramp up its own weapons testing and military demonstrations. Washington and Seoul maintain the drills are defensive in nature.
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The announcement came as North Korea convenes a major political conference of the ruling Workersā Party of Korea, where leader Kim Jong Un is expected to outline key domestic, foreign policy and military objectives for the next five years. State media have not reported any direct comments by Kim on relations with Washington and Seoul during the congress, which began last week.
Based on recent public remarks, experts say Kim could use the gathering to further cement his hard-line stance toward South Korea, reiterate demands that Washington drop its requirement for denuclearization as a precondition for renewed talks, and announce measures to strengthen and integrate North Koreaās nuclear and conventional forces.
Freedom Shield is one of two annual ācommand postā exercises conducted by the allies, alongside Ulchi Freedom Shield, held in August. The drills are largely computer-simulated and designed to test joint operational capabilities while incorporating evolving war scenarios and security challenges.
The March exercises will be accompanied by a field training program known as Warrior Shield to enhance ātraining realism and combat readiness,ā Col. Ryan Donald, public affairs director of U.S. Forces Korea, said at a news conference.
South Koreaās Joint Chiefs of Staff said approximately 18,000 South Korean troops will participate in Freedom Shield. The U.S. military did not disclose the number of American personnel involved.
Speculation has emerged that the allies could scale back the exercises to create space for renewed dialogue with North Korea. Liberal South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has expressed interest in inter-Korean engagement, and some senior officials have voiced hope that U.S. President Donald Trumpās expected visit to China in late March or April could provide an opening for talks between Washington and Pyongyang.
Col. Jang Do-young, public affairs director of South Koreaās Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the March drills will not include scenarios simulating a response to a North Korean nuclear attack but will feature training aimed at deterring nuclear threats. He said discussions were ongoing regarding specifics of the field training program.
North Koreaās rapid expansion of its nuclear weapons program in recent years now including systems capable of targeting U.S. allies in Asia and long-range missiles potentially able to reach the U.S. mainland has heightened security concerns in South Korea, even as diplomacy remains stalled.
Seoul is also navigating intensifying U.S - China competition in the region, with Washington pressing its ally to assume a greater share of the defense burden against North Korea as it shifts more strategic focus toward China.
North Korea has repeatedly rejected U.S. and South Korean calls to resume negotiations aimed at dismantling its nuclear program, which collapsed in 2019 after Kimās second summit with Trump during the American presidentās first term failed to produce an agreement.
Kim has since prioritized relations with Russia, sending thousands of troops and substantial military equipment to support Moscowās war in Ukraine, potentially in exchange for economic aid and military technology.
In a separate development, South Koreaās Defense Ministry said a pilot safely ejected from a South Korean F-16 fighter jet that crashed Wednesday evening into a mountain in the southeastern city of Yeongju during training. The ministry said there were no immediate reports of civilian casualties or property damage and that the air force is investigating the crash.
Editorās Note:
This article is based on official statements from the United States and South Korean militaries and public remarks by government officials. Details regarding the scope of the exercises and regional diplomatic developments reflect information available at the time of publication.
