South Korea To Hold Military Drills With US Amid North Korea Threats

South Korea and the United States will press ahead with their large-scale military drills this month despite North Korea warnings.

The South Korean and US militaries will conduct military exercises from March 13 to 23, the two militaries said in a statement on Friday.

The joint statement said; “The exercise “Freedom Shield” is designed to strengthen defence and response capabilities of the Alliance by focusing within the exercise scenario on things such as the changing security environment, and lessons learned from recent wars and conflicts.”

North Korea is opposed to such drills, which it says are rehearsals for invasion by the US and its allies in Seoul.

On Friday, the two militaries also conducted a combined air drill with at least one American B-1B long-range bomber and South Korean F-15K and KF-16 fighter aircraft, South Korea’s ministry of defence said in a statement.

It added that the aim of the drill was to practice coordination as well as demonstrate the US “extended deterrence” against North Korean threats.