Overview

• Defense Minister No Kwang-chol issued a statement on August 11 denouncing the upcoming drills as a “direct military provocation” and vowing “resolute counteraction” under the DPRK’s right to self-defense.
• The annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise is scheduled for August 18–28 with around 21,000 US and South Korean personnel and about half of the field training drills postponed to September.
• Seoul and the US Combined Forces Command emphasize that the exercises are defensive in nature, aimed at maintaining readiness and deterring North Korean nuclear and missile threats.
• North Korean state media reported that tactical artillery units conducted firing practice contests on August 11 to bolster combat readiness ahead of the allied drills.
• Both Koreas have removed propaganda loudspeakers along the DMZ in reciprocal confidence-building steps, while South Korean officials characterize North Korea’s warning as a formal escalation delivered in a relatively measured tone.