(LEAD) S. Korea, U.S. to begin key summertime military exercise next week

South Korea and the United States will commence a key military exercise called Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) next week, according to a joint statement released by their militaries. The annual exercise, which will take place from August 17-27, aims to enhance joint defense readiness and capabilities, with a focus on combined, all-domain operations.

This is the second of two large-scale combined exercises the allies hold each year, alongside the Freedom Shield (FS) in spring. The UFS is seen as a testing ground for South Korea to lead the combined forces once it takes over wartime command from the United States. This year's UFS will not involve the South Korean deputy commander of the Combined Forces Command taking over the role of the CFC commander, which has raised speculation about U.S. reservations regarding the OPCON transfer.

The allies plan to conduct joint evaluations of South Korea's capabilities regarding the OPCON transfer and expect to submit recommendations at the upcoming Security Consultative Meeting in November. Field training exercises, dubbed the Warrior Shield, will also be conducted to enhance training realism and combat readiness, with 14 such drills planned at the battalion level or higher.