Government to Conduct Four-Day "Eulji Exercise" to Prepare for Security Threats Including Cyberattacks

Linked with South Korea-U.S. Joint Military Exercise
Preparedness for Drone, GPS, and Cyberattacks
Nationwide Civil Defense Drill Involving All Citizens

The government will conduct the Eulji Exercise from August 18 to 21 to establish a national emergency preparedness posture and ensure the stability of citizens' lives during emergencies.

The Eulji Exercise is a nationwide emergency preparedness drill conducted annually by the government to protect the lives and property of the nation and its people in the event of war, armed conflict, or a comparable national emergency.

Prime Minister Minseok Kim presided over the Eulji Exercise preparation briefing meeting at the Government Seoul Office Annex in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 5th. Photo by Yonhap News

This year's Eulji Exercise will be held in conjunction with the South Korea-U.S. joint military exercise under the name "Eulji Freedom Shield." Approximately 4,000 organizations-including administrative agencies at the township level and above, public institutions and organizations, and key management companies-will participate, involving around 580,000 people.

The focus of this year's Eulji Exercise is on establishing the government's emergency preparedness posture and maintaining the stability of citizens' lives in response to new security threats. The drill will feature realistic training to counter emerging threats such as drone and GPS attacks, cyberattacks, and the introduction of new weapons utilizing advanced science and technology. In particular, the government plans to enhance its integrated response capabilities at a pan-government level through complex scenarios that require cooperation among government and public agencies, such as joint training to respond to drone and cyberattacks targeting critical national and public facilities.

At the central government and provincial levels, the heads of agencies will lead a "one agency-one drill" exercise, simulating actual damage to critical infrastructure such as key national facilities, roads, and power installations. In addition, action-oriented training will be conducted to practice rapid transition from peacetime administrative systems to wartime systems, as well as procedural drills for the immediate promulgation of wartime legislation. There will also be evacuation drills for residents in border areas, reception and relief exercises for residents evacuated from the five West Sea islands, and training to ensure the continuous supply of essential energy for daily life.

On August 20, a nationwide civil defense drill will be held, including air raid evacuation training and exercises to clear the way for fire trucks and ambulances, with participation from the general public. Regions designated as "special disaster zones" due to wildfire or heavy rain damage will be exempt from the Eulji Exercise to enable swift recovery efforts. Kim Junghak, Director of Emergency Preparedness Policy, stated, "This year's Eulji Exercise is an essential drill to assess national crisis management capabilities and strengthen the nation's ability to ensure the stability of citizens' lives in response to evolving security threats," and urged all agencies to participate actively with a mindset as if facing a real situation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.