Seoul: The South Korean and US militaries have decided to postpone announcing a date for their major springtime exercise this year. This decision comes amid differences concerning the scale of on-field drills, sources revealed on Sunday.
According to Qatar News Agency, the announcement was initially planned for a joint press briefing on Wednesday. However, it was delayed due to the US military's reluctance regarding South Korea's proposal to reduce field training during the Freedom Shield exercise. This annual exercise is designed to enhance readiness against North Korea's nuclear and weapons programs.
Under the current Lee Jae Myung administration, Seoul aims to reduce on-field drills as a gesture towards Pyongyang, which views these exercises as a potential prelude to invasion. A South Korean military source stated that coordination issues regarding on-field exercises led to the announcement's postponement. The US military has shown reservations, given the current deployment of additional troops and equipment in South Korea for the drills.
Further coordination between the two nations is expected, with an announcement likely later this month or early March. Last year's Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise saw only half of the planned on-field drills conducted, with the remainder spread throughout the year. The upcoming Freedom Shield exercise will focus on verifying capabilities to ensure the transition of wartime operational control to South Korea, currently held by US forces.