South Korea, US kick off Ulchi Freedom Shield drills with 21,000 troops
The drills could trigger a response from North Korea, which has used previous exercises as a pretext for weapons tests
The 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield – the second of two large-scale exercises held annually in South Korea, after another set in March – will involve 21,000 soldiers, including 18,000 South Koreans, in computer-simulated command post operations and field training.
The drills, which the allies describe as defensive, could trigger a response from North Korea, which has long portrayed the exercises as invasion rehearsals and has often used them as a pretext for military demonstrations and weapons tests aimed at advancing its nuclear programme.
In a statement last week, North Korean Defence Minister No Kwang-chol said the drills showed the allies’ stance of “military confrontation” with the North and declared that its forces would be ready to counteract “any provocation going beyond the boundary line”.
