SEOUL: The United States and South Korea will begin their annual spring military exercises next week with a focus on heading off North Korea’s potential use of nuclear weapons, western media reported on Wednesday.
According to Reuters, the military exercises, set from March 4 to 14, come as N Korea continues to test weapons systems and missiles and also develop its nuclear abilities.
In recent months, North Korea has inflamed hostilities on the Korean Peninsula with rhetoric and also continued missile tests. The South Korea and US militaries have jointly announced that they will conduct the exercise and a variety of separate field training, from March 4 to 14.
US, South Korea to Stage Annual Military Drills Focusing on Korea Nuclear Threats
In a statement, Col. Lee, Sung-Jun, a spokesperson for South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff stated that the allies’ exercises are devised to bolster their joint capabilities to stop North Korea from using its nuclear arms. He added the they are to conduct 48 field exercises this spring, twice the number carried out last year, and that this year’s exercises would involve live-firing, air assault, and bombing training. He said that South Korea’s army is ready to discipline North Korean side, strongly and to the conclusion in the event of its aggravation, and they will strengthen their firm readiness via the upcoming exercise.
North Korean side did not immediately respond to the exercises’ announcement. However, earlier, North Korea has reacted to past major South Korea-U.S. military exercises with its own missile tests.
Washington and Seoul have replied to the North Korea’s testing spree with extension of their bilateral military drills and trilateral military exercise involving Japan. South Korean and the US officials have warned several times that any nuclear assault by North Korea against them would spell the end of the North Korea’s government led by Kim Jong Un.
