Seoul: South Korea's military is set to conduct its annual computer-simulated Taegeuk exercise next week, aimed at bolstering readiness against threats from North Korea, as announced by the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

According to Yonhap News Agency, the three-day exercise will commence on Monday and will simulate various crisis scenarios across multiple domains, including "gray-zone" provocations that do not escalate to full military conflict. The JCS emphasized that through this exercise, the military aims to reassess and enhance its response systems, focusing on maintaining a proactive stance and developing capabilities to counter North Korean provocations.

The timing of the exercise is significant, coming shortly after North Korea's launch of multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Thursday. This marks North Korea's first ballistic missile activity since March, underscoring the ongoing tensions in the region.