South Korea, US resume major field training in combined military exercises

The allies will kick off their annual summer exercises next month, after South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, who took office in May, pledged to “normalize” joint exercises and strengthen deterrence against the North.

South Korea and the United States plan to conduct 11 joint field exercises this summer, including one at the brigade level, the ministry said. He said they aimed to hold more joint field exercises at regimental level or higher.

“Among other things, we plan to conduct combined aircraft carrier thrust group training and exercises for amphibious operations soon,” South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup told reporters after briefing Yoon. on political issues.

The two sides had reduced their combined military exercises in recent years over COVID-19 and their efforts to ease tensions with the North.

North Korea has conducted missile tests at an unprecedented rate this year and is reportedly preparing for its seventh nuclear test.

President Yoon said Pyongyang could pass the test, possibly its first since 2017, at “any time”.

To better counter North Korea’s growing missile threats targeting the South’s capital, the Defense Ministry said it would improve missile detection capabilities and push for the rapid deployment of a new missile system. interception.

Yoon also instructed the defense ministry to make every effort to bolster the country’s missile defense system against threats from the north, his spokesman Kang In-sun said.