Pyeongtaek: South Korea and the United States are set to conduct a tabletop military exercise next week, focusing on the integration of conventional and nuclear capabilities. This move is aimed at enhancing deterrence against threats posed by North Korea, as revealed by military sources on Friday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the exercise, named Iron Mace, is slated to occur from September 15 to 19 at the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) headquarters located at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, approximately 60 kilometers south of Seoul. This marks the third occurrence of such drills, following previous iterations in August 2024 and April, and notably, it is the first under the administration of Lee Jae Myung.

The Iron Mace exercise will involve the joint operation of Washington’s nuclear assets alongside Seoul’s conventional capabilities. This collaboration aims to bolster America’s extended deterrence commitment amidst ongoing North Korean nuclear and missile threats.

The exercise has been staged under the Nuclear Consultative Group guidelines, which were adopted following summit discussions between former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and former U.S. President Joe Biden in April 2023. Despite the significance of the exercise, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff and the USFK have refrained from disclosing further details about the planned activities.