South Korea, US begin joint exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield

Military vehicles at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, 60km south of Seoul, South Korea, on August 20, 2023, before participating in the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise.

According to Yonhap News Agency, on August 21, South Korea and the United States began conducting an annual joint exercise called Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS).

The 11-day exercise will be based on an all-out war scenario, with a variety of contents, including computer-simulated command exercises, field training and the Ulchi civil defense exercise.

A Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) official said the exercise will include about 30 combined field training activities, more than the 25 training activities during the Spring Freedom Shield exercise and 13 training activities during last year's UFS.

This year's UFS exercise is also expected to include training for soldiers to quickly transition to wartime as well as respond to misinformation or unexpected situations.

According to the US Forces Korea (USFK), in addition to the forces of these two countries, there are also soldiers from nine countries under the United Nations Command (UNC), including Australia, Canada, France, the UK, Greece, Italy, New Zealand, the Philippines and Thailand.

The Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission - an observer to the armistice of the 1950-1953 Korean War - also attended the exercise. It included representatives from Sweden and Switzerland.

According to VNA