US and South Korea Launch New Military Drills

(NationRise.com) – According to a report, South Korea and the United States launched a massive military exercise on March 4 against the backdrop of the aggressive moves from the North Korean regime on the Korean Peninsula. Seoul and Washington will conduct the so-called Freedom Shield 2024 (FS24), which is an 11-day military exercise conducted through South Korea, whose primary goal is to boost the combined defense capabilities of the allied forces in the region.

The military training comes at a moment when tensions in the Korean Peninsula have escalated following North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un’s decision to abandon efforts to restore relations with the South Korean government. Back in January, the communist leader amended his country’s constitution, labeling Seoul as North Korea’s “main enemy.” He also abolished three bodies related to cooperation between the two nations.

In a statement, the sub-unified command of the US Indo-Pacific Command, the United States Forces Korea (USFK), said that the military training will “enhance” the alliance response capabilities against various security threats. It added that the exercise will guarantee the alliance’s ability to boost the “combined defense posture.”

The USFK also said that the annual event has been designed to enhance readiness and interoperability to military threats, which reflects an efficient approach within the so-called Korea Theater of Operations. The exercise will include constructive, virtual, live, and field-based drills that will also involve military personnel and some federal agencies. The USFK explained that the training will conduct operations leveraging space, air, sea, land, and cyber assets with a “clear emphasis” on counter “non-kinetic effects” and “nuclear operations.”

The sub-unified command added that the FS24 will see participation from numerous service members across 12 United Nations Command Member States. These will include Thailand, the Philippines, New Zealand, Italy, Great Britain, Greece, France, Canada, Belgium, Colombia, Australia, and the United States. The USFK added that the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission will observe the training to guarantee that everything is done under the International Armistice Agreement.