US, S Korean militaries to have joint drills as tensions with North simmer

Seoul: The US and South Korean militaries said on Wednesday they will conduct their annual springtime exercises next month to bolster their countries’ combined defence capabilities against a backdrop of a deepening diplomatic freeze with nuclear-armed North Korea.

The Freedom Shield drills are set for March 9-19, according to the announcement.

North Korea has long described the allies ‘ joint exercises as invasion rehearsals and used them as a pretext to dial up its own military demonstrations and weapons testing activity. The allies say the drills are defensive in nature.

The announcement came as North Korea is holding a major political conference where authoritarian leader Kim Jong Un is expected to outline his key domestic, foreign policy and military goals for the next five years. North Korean state media have not so far reported any direct comments by Kim on relations with Washington and Seoul at the ruling Workers’ Party congress, which began last week. Freedom Shield is one of two “command post” exercises that the allies conduct each year. Agencies