South Korea and the U.S. Begin UFS Exercises Today... Training Assumes North Korean Nuclear Attack

From the 19th, 'Defense of the Korean Peninsula' Eulji Freedom Shield
Government Eulji Exercise Includes 'Nuclear Attack Scenario'

From the 19th, South Korea and the United States will conduct the joint exercise 'Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS)' for ten days, simulating a North Korean invasion scenario. For the first time, the government’s Ulchi Exercise, which is linked to the training, will include an evacuation drill assuming a North Korean nuclear attack situation.

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, this year’s UFS exercise will be held from 00:01 on the 19th until the 29th. Compared to last year, the number of combined South Korea-U.S. outdoor maneuver exercises has significantly increased to a total of 48. In particular, brigade-level exercises have been expanded more than fourfold, from 4 to 17. The Joint Chiefs stated, "During this exercise period, we will conduct multi-domain operations utilizing various assets including weapons of mass destruction response, ground, sea, air, cyber, and space assets to further strengthen the South Korea-U.S. alliance’s capability and readiness to respond to any provocation."

On the 18th, one day before the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise, a regular joint training conducted by South Korea and the United States to defend the Korean Peninsula in case of emergency, an RC-12X Guardrail reconnaissance aircraft is landing at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The Army, Navy, and Air Force also plan to conduct various live maneuver exercises during the UFS exercise period. The Army will cultivate large-scale live maneuver and live-fire capabilities through combined and joint outdoor maneuver exercises. Major exercises conducted by the Army include South Korea-U.S. joint guided missile air defense firing, South Korea-U.S. joint air assault operations, South Korea-U.S. joint river crossing exercises, and comprehensive counterterrorism drills at multi-use facilities.

The Navy will conduct command post exercises to develop multi-domain maritime operation capabilities and to practice the operation procedures of the South Korea-U.S. joint coordination system. Each unit will also carry out major port integrated defense exercises, port damage recovery, and ship ammunition loading drills. The Air Force will participate in about 80 outdoor maneuver exercises, including South Korea-U.S. joint exercises, joint exercises with the Army and Navy, and independent exercises.

Meanwhile, the government will conduct a nationwide Ulchi Exercise for four days from the 19th to the 22nd in connection with the UFS exercise. This is an emergency preparedness drill conducted once a year nationwide by the government to protect the lives and property of the nation and its people in the event of national emergencies such as war or crisis. For the first time, the scenario assumes a North Korean nuclear attack situation in this Ulchi Exercise.