Only 5 Postponed UFS Outdoor Maneuver Exercises Conducted... "All Will Be Completed by Year-End"

It has been revealed that out of the outdoor maneuver exercises postponed during the South Korea-U.S. joint exercise "Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS)," only five were actually conducted by the South Korean military.

According to data received by Assemblyman Kang Daesik of the National Defense Committee from the Joint Chiefs of Staff on October 14, the South Korean military conducted only five out of the 22 South Korea-U.S. outdoor maneuver exercises that had been postponed to September due to extreme heat and other reasons.

Yonhap News Agency

Previously, the UFS exercise consisted of a command post exercise (CPX) and a field training exercise (FTX). In August, the Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that 22 out of 44 outdoor maneuver exercises would be postponed to September, accounting for half of the planned exercises. At the time, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Combined Forces Command cited extreme heat and flood damage as reasons for the postponement. However, some interpreted the decision as being influenced by ongoing discussions about adjusting South Korea-U.S. joint exercises under the new administration.

Meanwhile, at a parliamentary audit held on the morning of October 14, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Jin Youngseung responded to Assemblyman Kang's inquiry on the matter, stating, "The training schedule was partially adjusted in consideration of unit conditions and training areas," and added, "I would like to assure you that all postponed exercises will be conducted by the end of the year."

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