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Korea, U.S. stage only 5 out of 20 UFS field training drills

Published: 14 Oct. 2025, 16:59

This photo, provided by the Army, shows the Army Special Warfare Command taking part in the maritime infiltration training with U.S. forces as part of the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise in Taean, South Chungcheong on Aug. 28. [NEWS1]

The militaries of Korea and the United States carried out only five out of some 20 field training drills in September — after rescheduling them from August — as part of the annual summertime Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise, a lawmaker said on Tuesday.

The two militaries earlier decided to partially push back around half of some 40 planned field training exercises set for August by a month, citing the ongoing heat wave.

However, they only conducted five field drills out of the 20 such exercises planned for September, according to a report submitted by the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) to Rep. Kang Dae-sik of the People Power Party (PPP).

The JCS said it plans to conduct the remaining drills by the end of the year, noting that the rescheduled field exercises are underway.

Korea's military has attributed the rescheduling to “multiple factors,” such as a heat wave and the benefit of spreading out the drills over the year for enhanced readiness.

But there are speculations that some of the field training drills were pushed back in what appeared to be a reconciliatory gesture in line with the Lee Jae Myung administration's aim to mend frayed inter-Korean ties.

Yonhap