Asia
South Korea and the United States begin Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise

South Korea and the United States begin Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise

Aug 19, 2024

Seoul [South Korea], August 19: Yonhap quoted the announcement of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) of South Korea saying that the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS 2024) joint exercise will take place from August 19 to 29 and will include a computer-simulated command post exercise, field training and civil defense.
The exercise content is based on a total war scenario, using various means from land, sea, air, cyber and space.
The goal of this year's exercise is to enhance the capabilities and readiness of the South Korea-US alliance in the face of threats on the Korean Peninsula, including responding to threats from weapons of mass destruction.
UFS 2024 will see the two allies train to counter North Korean missiles, cyber attacks, and GPS disruption. The exercise will also consider lessons from recent conflicts around the world.
The scale of this year's South Korea-US exercise is similar to last year's, with about 19,000 South Korean soldiers participating. During the 10 days, the two sides participated in a total of 48 field exercises, such as amphibious assaults and live-fire exercises, 10 more than last year.
The number of brigade-level exercises will also increase by four to 14 within the framework of UFS 2024.
Pyongyang has always opposed joint South Korea-US military exercises, calling them simulations of an attack on North Korea and "rehearsals for nuclear war".
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper