US and South Korean militaries hold largest joint exercise in 5 years
The US and South Korean militaries began their largest joint military exercises in years today (March 13). Earlier, North Korea warned that it would consider the US-South Korean military exercises a declaration of war.
 |
| Military helicopters are parked at the US base in Pyeongtaek, 65km south of Seoul. |
The computer-simulated Freedom Shield (FS) exercise has begun, lasting 11 days under realistic scenarios reflecting North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, Yonhap news agency and AP reported, citing Seoul officials. The exercise is being conducted in parallel with the Warrior Shield field training.
The drills between Seoul and Washington began at midnight, after North Korea fired two strategic cruise missiles from a submarine and conducted a firepower attack drill three days earlier.
The Freedom Shield exercise will run continuously, without a weekend break. It is the longest command post military exercise by the US and South Korea in five years, involving wartime procedures to repel potential North Korean attacks and conduct a stability campaign in the northern country of the Korean Peninsula.
The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that "Freedom Shield" is a defense exercise based on a joint operational plan designed to protect South Korea from a possible invasion from North Korea.
Along with the exercise, South Korea and the United States plan to conduct about 20 field exercises collectively known as Warrior Shield, including the Ssangyong (Songlong) landing exercise. These exercises represent the return of the Foal Eagle exercises that were suspended in 2019 under the administration of President Moon Jae-in.
The US military plans to send the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz to South Korea later this month to participate in joint exercises with the South Korean navy, related to the Freedom Shield exercise, US officials said.
South Korea and the United States conduct two large-scale joint command post exercises each year to practice crisis management and war-related procedures. The exercises take place in the spring and summer. Pyongyang has long criticized the US-South Korean exercises as rehearsals for an invasion against it.
.jpg "Công ty Điện lực Nghệ An đã hoàn thành khôi phục hệ thống cấp điện toàn tỉnh trước ngày Quốc khánh 2/9")
