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South Korea, US to launch major spring drills next month as wartime command transfer advances

By The South Asia Times

SEOUL - South Korea and the United States will begin their annual spring joint military exercise next month, as the allies intensify preparations for the eventual transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON) from Washington to Seoul.

The Freedom Shield (FS) exercise is set to run from March 9 to 19 and will include large-scale field maneuvers under the “Warrior Shield” program, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff and United States Forces Korea, Yonhap News reported.

Military officials said the drills are designed to enhance combined readiness through joint, all-domain operations spanning land, sea, air, cyber and space. In a joint statement, the allies said the exercise will also support ongoing efforts toward a “conditions-based” transfer of wartime command authority — a longstanding objective of the alliance.

Under the current arrangement, the United States would assume operational control of combined forces in the event of war. Seoul has been seeking to regain that authority, contingent on meeting specific military capability requirements. South Korea aims to complete the key verification of its Full Operational Capability (FOC) -- the second phase of a three-stage assessment program -- by the end of this year.

President Lee Jae Myung has pledged to achieve the conditions necessary for the handover within his five-year term, which runs through 2030.

Some field training elements may be scaled back compared to previous years, according to sources, amid diplomatic sensitivities. Washington has reportedly voiced caution over proposals to reduce certain drills as Seoul attempts to improve ties with North Korea.

The exercises come ahead of a planned summit in April between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, with South Korea seeking to create conditions conducive to renewed dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang.

North Korea has long condemned joint Seoul-Washington drills as rehearsals for invasion, while both allies maintain the exercises are defensive in nature.

Freedom Shield is one of two major combined exercises held annually, alongside the Ulchi Freedom Shield drills conducted each August.

South Korea, US to launch major spring drills next month as wartime command transfer advances

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