Seoul [South Korea], August 19 (ANI): Following a decision by US President Donald Trump, the joint military exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) between the United States and South Korea, which began earlier this week, has been cut short, with the scheduled field training also set to be reduced, South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reported, citing the military.
According to Yonhap, the military drill was agreed to be shortened to Friday, reducing the exercise period by almost half, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a release. The UFS was originally scheduled to run from August 17-27.
According to the JCS, field training exercises, a core component of the drills, will also be reduced to some extent, with discussions underway between the two militaries to determine the detailed plans.
“South Korea and the United States agreed to discuss and carry out various measures going forward to achieve the objectives of the UFS exercise and establish a robust combined defense posture,” the JCS said.
According to Yonhap, Washington and Seoul have reportedly canceled the second half of the exercise, which is based on counterattack scenarios following enemy aggression. It also noted that the UFS is primarily designed to train for contingencies involving North Korea.
The agency noted that joint drills were also scaled back in 2019 during Trump’s first term, when high-stakes nuclear diplomacy with Pyongyang was at its peak.
Meanwhile, CNN reported, citing a spokesperson for US Forces Korea, that this year’s drills were designed to adapt to North Korea’s evolving capabilities and would incorporate training to counter drones, GPS disruption and cyberattacks. At least 18,000 South Korean troops were scheduled to take part.
Despite the developments, Yonhap reported that North Korea on Wednesday continued to denounce the joint military exercise even after it was scaled back.
Citing the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), it further reported that North Korea vowed to “completely neutralize the enemy’s military threat” and exercise its right to self-defense.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung had earlier stated that joint military drills between Washington and Seoul are defensive in nature and do not reflect any intention to attack North Korea or escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula, following Trump’s decision to scale back the annual war games.
Addressing a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the South Korean president also urged faster progress in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines after Trump’s order to cut joint drills, Yonhap reported. (ANI)
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