The exercises, previously called Vigilant Ace, will last five days and will involve US soldiers stationed in South Korea.
The drill comes amid tensions over pressure on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and calls to restart denuclearization talks.
The DPRK has repeatedly complained about these drills which it considers to be a rehearsal for war in the region, while its own are always criticized.
The US envoy for the DPRK, Sung Kim, called Pyongyang’s most recent missile test “worrisome and counterproductive,” but remains silent when it is Seoul that displays its military might.
Due to this double standard the peace process has stalled for several years.
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