South Korea announces joint military drills with US and Japan

South Korea announced on Friday that it will conduct joint military exercises with the United States and Japan in September. The drills, named "Freedom Edge," are scheduled to take place from September 7 to 11 in international waters east and south of South Korea's Jeju Island.

The joint exercise focuses on responding to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats and safeguarding peace and stability in the region, according to Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The maneuvers are expected to encompass elements of maritime missile defense, air and air defense exercises, anti-submarine warfare, and cyber defense.

This announcement comes after the United States reduced its annual "Ulchi Freedom Shield" exercises with Seoul from 11 days to five. US President Donald Trump had previously described the larger drills as "very insulting" to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, suggesting that Pyongyang had "behaved very well" amid efforts to restart dialogue.

Additionally, South Korea reported that the US had canceled another joint exercise, the biennial "Ssangyong" maneuvers, due to force availability limitations caused by the war in Iran. "Freedom Edge" was first conducted in June 2024, following an agreement between the leaders of the three nations at their 2023 Camp David summit.

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This exercise is a defensive training that the three countries conduct annually to respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats and safeguard peace and stability in the region.