Soldiers from the 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade prepare for an Indirect Fire Protection Capability mobilization exercise at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, March 8. (US Department of Defense)
Soldiers from the 35th Air Defense Artillery Brigade prepare for an Indirect Fire Protection Capability mobilization exercise at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, March 8. (US Department of Defense)

Freedom Shield wraps: South Korea and the US concluded their annual 11-day Freedom Shield exercise, with officials calling it progress toward wartime operational control transfer.

OPCON transition push: The allies are in the Full Operational Capability phase, aiming to complete verification within the year as Seoul targets transfer by 2030.

Reduced field drills: The number of field training exercises dropped to 22 from last year's 51, as Seoul dispersed drills to ease tensions with North Korea. It drew warnings from Washington that reduced training could weaken military readiness.

New defense system: The drills featured the first public display of the US Indirect Fire Protection Capability, designed to intercept missiles and drones.

North Korea's response: Pyongyang denounced the exercise as a “war rehearsal,” conducting cruise missile launches and rocket artillery tests during the drills.

Diplomatic backdrop: The exercise comes ahead of a possible Trump visit to China, which could reopen talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Full article here.


flylikekite@heraldcorp.com