According to Reuters, South Korean and U.S. troops recently participated in joint combat firing drills near the North Korean border using heavy weapons. This comes at a time when Pyongyang has criticized the allies for what they call dangerous provocations that could lead to nuclear war.
The joint exercise involved a South Korean Army mechanised infantry brigade and a U.S. Army armoured Stryker brigade. The purpose was to test and enhance combat readiness in a simulation of enemy aggression, as stated in a Thursday release by South Korea.
These drills took place over the course of a week, beginning on December 29th and concluding on Thursday, according to the South Korean Army. The increased scale and intensity of joint drills over the past year is a response to escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula, driven by North Korea’s testing of long-range ballistic missiles and tactical weapons designed to strike targets in the South and the Pacific.
The U.S. has bolstered its military presence near the Korean peninsula, including the deployment of a nuclear missile submarine, aircraft carriers, and large bombers. In response, Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, has denounced the U.S. for deploying such large weapons and has vowed to build up the North’s nuclear arsenal and attack capabilities to “pacify the South.”
The North has condemned the joint firing drills as “reckless war maneuvers” and has criticized South Korea for supporting what they perceive as Washington’s hegemonic ambitions. They’ve gone as far as to call 2024 the year of the highest risk of conflict.
More than 110 large combat weapons were involved in the joint drills, including South Korean army tanks, anti-aircraft artillery, and combat earthmovers supported by U.S. military attack aircraft and armoured fighting vehicles, according to the Army. Additionally, South Korea’s navy conducted live firing drills and anti-submarine manoeuvres in various waters on Wednesday, involving destroyers, frigates, and corvettes.
This article was reported by Jack Kim and edited by Lincoln Feast.
