Annual US-South Korean military exercises begin

South Korean and American militaries began spring training exercises on Monday, officials said. The number of soldiers participating in it has doubled compared to last year.

According to Al-Mayadin report, the Freedom Shield exercise is scheduled to continue until March 14. The Ministry of Defense in Seoul announced today that the air forces of the two allied countries also started their annual exercises at the battalion level for five days.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said Freedom Shield will participate in 48 rounds of joint field training, including air strikes, and double the number of soldiers from both sides compared to last year. On the other hand, Colonel Lee Seong-joon, the spokesman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed that the nuclear attack scenario will be included in the summer exercises.

South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported that US strategic assets such as aircraft carriers and bombers may participate in these exercises. US forces said such equipment would likely be deployed in accordance with past procedures, but declined to provide details, citing security protocol.

North Korea also reacted to the drills of the two countries and described them as training for nuclear war. North Korea had previously confirmed that the country’s missile tests are in the framework of the continuous modernization process of the country’s weapons system and the regular and mandatory activity of the General Missile Administration and Defense Science Institutes.