Despite North Korea’s warning: US and South Korea announce new military exercises Argentina announces agreement with Britain on Falklands

Despite threats from North Korea, the US and ally South Korea plan to hold new military exercises this month.

The commando exercise “Freedom Shield” (Freedom Shield) will start on March 13 and will last eleven consecutive days, the US Forces Korea (USFK) announced on Friday. Field exercises must therefore also be integrated into the exercise of the personnel management, which is based on computer simulations.

Several field exercises under the code name “Warrior Shield FTX” (Warrior Shield) were already underway, according to a USFK spokesperson. Further training would also take place during “Freedom Shield”. It was initially unclear how many soldiers would be deployed. The aim of the exercises is to improve military cooperation between the two countries’ armed forces through “air, land, sea, space, cyber and special operations”. The United States has deployed 28,500 troops to South Korea to deter North Korea. Like Japan, the US also places South Korea under its nuclear umbrella.

North Korea, isolated because of its nuclear weapons program, had recently threatened harsh countermeasures if the United States and South Korea held further military exercises. Observers took this as an indication of a new series of missile tests or a new nuclear test. Washington and Seoul have denied all of Pyongyang’s allegations that the maneuvers are preparing an attack.

The conflict on the Korean peninsula has become much more explosive since last year. Despite being banned by UN resolutions, North Korea has increased the range and speed of its missile tests. South Korea and the US are fully resuming their maneuvers. (saw/sda/dpa)