Seoul: The militaries of South Korea and the United States executed only five out of approximately 20 field training drills in September, following a rescheduling from August as part of the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise, a South Korean lawmaker revealed on Tuesday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the allies initially decided to defer around half of the 40 planned field training exercises for August by a month due to the persistent heat wave. However, a report presented by the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to Rep. Kang Dae-sik of the main opposition People Power Party indicated that only five of the rescheduled drills were conducted in September.
During a parliamentary audit session, JCS Chairman Gen. Jin Yong-sung acknowledged the delay in the exercises and pledged to complete the remaining drills by the end of the year. "We could not complete the delayed drills in time in September, but all but one of them are being executed according to plan," Jin stated.
The South Korean military has pointed to "multiple factors" for the rescheduling, including the heat wave and the strategic advantage of spreading the drills throughout the year to enhance readiness. Nonetheless, there is speculation that some drills were postponed as a conciliatory measure aligned with the Lee Jae Myung administration's efforts to improve inter-Korean relations.