US begins military drills with South Korea after North Korea’s threats [Video]

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• The United States and South Korea began their biggest joint military exercises on Monday amid China’s aggression and North Korea’s backlash.
• The annual drills, now called Ulchi Freedom Shield are scheduled to end on Sept. 1.
• North Korea calls the military exercises a pretext for launching an invasion.

The U.S. and South Korea began their largest joint military exercises on Monday. The drills come as both China and North Korea have grown increasingly aggressive. North Korea fired missiles and China held military exercises around Taiwan.

Now called the Ulchi Freedom Shield, the annual drills are expected to run through Sept. 1. The military exercises will involve aircraft, warships, tanks, and thousands of troops. The drills are also expected to include simulating joint attacks and practicing front-line reinforcements as well as removing weapons of mass destruction. 

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol called for boosting the military drills after a fresh outburst of threats from North Korea. ​

“Maintaining peace on the Korean peninsula is built on our airtight security posture,” Yoon told a cabinet meeting​, according to Reuters, adding that he wanted to “normalize” training with the US.  

The exercises have been scaled down in the past years due to the coronavirus pandemic and attempts by both nations to negotiate with North Korea over its nuclear weapons program. 

Talks between Washington and Pyongyang​ have sunk after the Trump administration rejected North Korean president Kim Jong Un’s demand that sanctions be eased in exchange for dismantling a nuclear facility.

North Korea describes the US-South Korea military exercises as a pretext for launching an invasion. Last week, North Korea launched two cruise missiles ​off its west coast. 

The US and South Korea also believe North Korea is preparing for another nuclear test, according to intelligence sources. If Pyongyang goes ahead with the test, it would be the seventh since 2006.

Source: CNBC