[Global Times special correspondent in South Korea Liu Yuan, Global Times special contributor Yiwen] According to a report from Yonhap News Agency, the South Korean and US armies conducted the routine joint military exercise “Unified Freedom Shield” (UFS) from the 18th to the 28th of this month, aiming to enhance the defense capability of the Korean Peninsula. Some joint field maneuver training (FTX) was postponed to September. Previously, there were reports that although the military claimed that some training was postponed due to extreme heat, this move might have considered the strong protest of North Korea against the joint exercise. On the 18th, South Korean President Yee Jae-myung stated about the exercise that it was a defensive drill aimed at achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula and safeguarding the safety of citizens’ lives. He had no intention of attacking North Korea or escalating tensions on the peninsula.
On the 18th, the start of the joint military exercise “Unified Freedom Shield” between South Korea and the United States. Pictures show soldiers inspecting vehicles in a US military base in South Korea as preparations for the exercise are underway. (Photo by Visual China)
Yee Jae-myung made the above statement when he presided over the plenary meeting of the National Security Council on the 18th. According to Jeong Eui-jin, a spokesman for the President’s Office, Yee Jae-myung expressed that peace without using force is the best solution, but preparations should also be made for the worst situation. He instructed all departments to conduct substantive exercises to ensure national life and security in times of war. He also reviewed the overall war task execution capabilities and emergency response procedures for various departments during wartime.
In addition, according to South Korean media reports, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hee-won said at a plenary meeting of the Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee in Congress on the 18th that a phased denuclearization strategy will be formulated to promote dialogue between North Korea and the United States and South Korea and North Korea. Cho Hee-won said that they would confirm a unified policy tone between South Korea and the United States through high-level channels, create an environment for North Korean nuclear dialogue based on close cooperation between the two countries, seek solutions for restarting dialogue between North Korea and the United States and South Korea and North Korea, and formulate a phased denuclearization strategy and implementation plan for freezing, reducing, and abandoning nuclear weapons.
On the same day, at a regular meeting of South Korea’s Unification Ministry, spokesperson Gu Bingshan said that they would abolish the “August 15 New Strategy for Reunification” of former President Yoon Suk-yeol’s government and focus on repairing mutual trust between South Korea and North Korea instead. Gu Bingshan stated that this strategy had not been developed through consultation with Congress during its formulation process and had procedural issues. The government will consistently promote various measures that contribute to easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula and rebuilding mutual trust between South Korea and North Korea in the future.