Escalation Looms: US-South Korea Joint Military Exercises Amid North Korean Warnings

Next week, South Korea and the United States will commence their yearly Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military exercises, aimed at enhancing their collective capability to counter North Korean nuclear threats.

These exercises could provoke a belligerent reaction from North Korea, which views them as invasion rehearsals and has previously used the allies' defense cooperation to justify advancing its nuclear weapons and missile programs.

The exercises, scheduled for August 19-29, will include computer-simulated scenarios and live-fire drills to prepare for threats such as missile attacks, GPS jamming, and cyber incursions, according to South Korean and US military officials.

In the wake of last year’s drills, North Korea performed ballistic missile tests simulating “scorched earth” nuclear strikes on South Korean targets. Recently, it has also launched a psychological warfare campaign, releasing balloons carrying trash into South Korea, further straining inter-Korean relations.

Amid these escalations, South Korea, the United States, and Japan are intensifying their combined military exercises and refining their nuclear deterrence strategies built around US strategic assets.

(With inputs from agencies.)