South Korea and the United States kicked off large-scale combined military drills, dubbed “Ulchi Freedom Shield” (UFS), on Monday.
With the exercises, the government and the military seek to improve their capabilities to execute an all-out war to prepare for provocation by North Korea and a full-scale war by practicing pan-government crisis management and assistance procedures for joint operations.
The UFS exercises, which will run through September 1, consist of two parts – training for North Korean attacks and defending the greater Seoul area, and training for counterattack operations to secure the safety of the capital region.
The exercises will include various field training exercises, including battalion-level training for weapons of mass destruction elimination operations, as well as computer-simulated command post exercises.
The annual Ulchi civil defense exercise will also be conducted at a full-scale level for four days during the period of the joint drills. It is a government-level emergency training exercise that aims to effectively counter national emergencies and protect citizens.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff said that combining government and military exercises will serve as an opportunity for the nation to improve its capabilities to execute an all-out war.
This year’s exercises will involve diverse tactical outdoor drills and proceed with various real-life scenarios, including attacks on harbors, airports and chip factories.
During the training, the allies also plan to conduct a full operational capability assessment, the second part of the three-stage verification process to check the South Korean military’s readiness to regain wartime operational control.
Source: KBS World Radio