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yesterday

U.S. and South Korea Launch Ulchi Freedom Shield With Reduced Field Drills

The 11-day exercise begins with half of field drills deferred to ease regional tensions, with 580,000 civilians mobilized for counter-drone and anti-air-raid exercises.

South Korean protesters stage a rally to oppose the joint military exercises, Ulchi Freedom Shield or UFS, between the U.S. and South Korea in front of the presidential office in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. The banners read "Stop the military exercise between the U.S. and South Korea." (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
South Korean protesters stage a rally to oppose the joint military exercises, Ulchi Freedom Shield or UFS, between the U.S. and South Korea in front of the presidential office in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. The banners read "Stop the military exercise between the U.S. and South Korea." (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
South Korean protesters stage a rally to oppose the joint military exercises, Ulchi Freedom Shield or UFS, between the U.S. and South Korea in front of the presidential office in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. The banners read "Stop the military exercise between the U.S. and South Korea." (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Apache choppers are parked at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, about 60 kilometers south of Seoul, a day ahead of the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise on Aug. 17, 2025. (Yonhap)

Overview

  • The exercise runs through August 28 and involves around 18,000 South Korean troops in multi-domain readiness drills.
  • The Joint Chiefs of Staff said that about half of roughly 40 planned field training exercises will be pushed back to September as a diplomatic gesture to Pyongyang.
  • A concurrent four-day civil defense operation has mobilized approximately 580,000 civilians for nationwide anti-air-raid, counter-drone and cyber-defense exercises.
  • Pyongyang’s defense chief denounced the allied drills on August 10 and threatened to exercise its self-defense right if provoked.
  • U.S. and South Korean officials emphasize that the summertime drills are defensive in nature and aimed at deterring North Korean threats.