Seoul: South Korea and the United States have concluded their annual Freedom Shield (FS) exercise, which aims to strengthen their combined readiness posture in the face of North Korea's verbal threats and recent ballistic missile launches. The exercise ran for 11 days and involved scenarios reflecting trends in modern warfare. A joint statement from their militaries confirmed the successful conclusion of FS 26, highlighting the strong combined defense posture and the enhanced ability to conduct operations across all domains.
According to Yonhap News Agency, this year's exercise focused on evaluating conditions for the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington to Seoul. South Korea is seeking a "conditions-based" handover within President Lee Jae Myung's five-year term, ending in 2030. The exercise aimed to bolster military capabilities for this transition, with Capt. Jang Do-young, spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), emphasizing its importance in ongoing preparations.
Approximately 18,000 troops participated, maintaining a similar scale to the previous year, although the number of field training exercises decreased to 22 from 51 last year. Jang noted that 17 of the 22 planned exercises have been completed, with five more set to conclude by next week. The Lee administration is dispersing on-field training drills throughout the year to potentially lay the groundwork for talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson underscored the significance of the Freedom Shield exercise, stating it demonstrates the strength of the U.S.-ROK alliance and their ability to train and operate seamlessly. JCS Chairman Gen. Jin Yong-sung highlighted the exercise's role in preparing for the OPCON transfer and reaffirming the shared values of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.
This year's drills included the deployment of the Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) system, marking its first known use in large-scale combined drills. The IFPC is designed to counter cruise missiles and drones, part of the U.S. Army's Integrated Battle Command System for modernizing air and missile defense systems.
North Korea has traditionally criticized these military exercises as invasion rehearsals, although Seoul and Washington maintain they are defensive in nature. Earlier this month, Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korea's leader, condemned the drills and warned of severe consequences. North Korea also launched about 10 ballistic missiles in a show of force, with Pyongyang conducting a firepower strike drill involving 600-millimeter ultra-precision multiple rocket launchers, attended by Kim Jong-un.
Freedom Shield is one of two major annual exercises by the allies, with the other, Ulchi Freedom Shield, typically taking place in August.