U.S., South Korea Open Biggest Drills In Years

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) – The United States and South Korea are holding their biggest combined military training in years as they heighten their defense posture against the growing North Korean nuclear threat. The drills could draw an angry response from North Korea, which has pushed its weapons testing activity to a record pace this year. The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises will continue through Sept. 1 in South Korea and include field exercises involving aircraft, warships, tanks and potentially tens of thousands of troops. Similar drills were canceled or shrunk in recent years due to COVID-19 or to create space for diplomacy. North Korea last week harshly criticized South Korea’s president for continuing military exercises with the U.S.