Seoul: South Korea, the United States, and Japan have initiated their trilateral multi-domain exercise, named Freedom Edge, as part of ongoing efforts to enhance three-way security cooperation in response to North Korea’s military threats. The exercise, which commenced on Monday, spans five days, taking place in international waters east and south of South Korea’s southern island of Jeju.
According to Yonhap News Agency, this marks the third iteration of the trilateral drills, following exercises conducted in June and November of the previous year. Notably, it is the first such exercise since the presidencies of South Korea’s Lee Jae Myung and the United States’ Donald Trump. The military has emphasized that the three nations aim to bolster their interoperability, thereby maintaining a “solid and stable” trilateral cooperation framework through this exercise.
The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command highlighted that the Freedom Edge exercise showcases a shared commitment among the countries to collectively uphold peace in the Asia-Pacific region. The drills will incorporate training to enhance ballistic missile defense capabilities, air defense exercises, medical evacuation training, and maritime interdiction operations.
North Korea has consistently voiced opposition to joint military exercises involving these three nations, previously issuing warnings of military retaliation against the Freedom Edge drills that included U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. Following the inaugural exercise last June, North Korea condemned the drills as an effort to reinforce a “U.S.-led military bloc.”
Additionally, in conjunction with the Freedom Edge exercise, South Korea and the U.S. are set to conduct the Iron Mace tabletop military exercise, running concurrently from Monday to Friday. This exercise is designed to integrate Washington’s nuclear assets with Seoul’s conventional capabilities to counter North Korean threats. Kim Yo-jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, recently criticized the exercise plan, warning that such “reckless muscle-flexing” could lead to negative repercussions.