Freedom Shield: Strengthening U.S.-South Korea Military Alliance Amid Tensions

South Korea and the United States completed their annual joint military drills, Freedom Shield, including a river-crossing exercise near the North Korean border. The exercises aimed to reinforce their alliance and defensive capabilities. North Korea responded with missile tests and strong condemnation, citing invasion concerns.

South Korea and the United States concluded their annual joint military exercises, known as Freedom Shield, following an 11-day operation. The drills included a strategic river-crossing exercise close to North Korea's heavily fortified border, strengthening military ties and cooperation.

The exercise, held in Yeoncheon near the demilitarised zone, engaged 600 troops alongside 100 armoured vehicles and aircraft. The Republic of Korea's Defence Ministry confirmed the construction of a 180-metre floating bridge to facilitate armoured vehicle passage, highlighting the U.S.-ROK alliance's effectiveness.

These drills sparked North Korea's ire, as it fired several ballistic missiles in protest, denouncing the exercises as provocative and a precursor to invasion. Amid heightened tensions, South Korea faces a domestic political crisis, with an impending Constitutional Court ruling on the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol.

(With inputs from agencies.)