South Korea and U.S hold joint exercises as part of annual military drills

Описание: (14 Mar 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Yeoncheon, South Korea - 14 March 2026
1. Various of South Korean and U.S militaries holding a joint wet gap crossing exercise
2. Various of commander of U.S. Forces in Korea Gen. Xavier Brunson walking with troops
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of U.S. Forces Korea:
"We are able to do this great combined training out here. The training of our alliance is what makes us different. It's the asymmetric advantage that we enjoy across the Indo-Pacific. The fact that we can train and build readiness across our formation, and the fact we can do this together."
4. Various of wet gap crossing exercise
STORYLINE:
The South Korean and U.S. militaries on Saturday held a joint training exercise at a river in Yeoncheon, north of South Korea's capital, as part of their annual Freedom Shield combined exercise.

The drill involved South Korean and American military personnel practicing wet gap crossings, moving equipment across the river using a temporary bridge system.

"The training of our alliance is what makes us different. It's the asymmetric advantage that we enjoy across the Indo-Pacific," said Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of U.S. Forces Korea.

Troops from the South Korean Army’s 7th Engineer Brigade and the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division, as well as South Korea-U.S. Combined Division took part in the drills.

The aim of the was to enhance joint amphibious operation capability and interoperability, military officials said.

The 11-day Freedom Shield exercise, which runs through March 19, is one of two annual command post exercises conducted by the militaries of the United States and South Korea.

The largely computer-simulated drills are designed to test the allies’ joint operational capabilities, while incorporating evolving war scenarios and security challenges.

Freedom Shield will be accompanied by a field training program called Warrior Shield.

The allies’ combined exercise comes amid South Korean media speculation that Washington is relocating some assets from South Korea to support fighting against Iran.

U.S. Forces Korea said last week it would not comment on specific movements of military assets for security reasons.

South Korean officials also declined to comment on the reports that some U.S. Patriot anti-missile systems and other equipment were being moved to the Middle East, but they said there would be no meaningful impact on the allies’ combined defense posture.

North Korea on Saturday fired about 10 ballistic missiles toward the eastern sea, South Korea’s military said, staging its own show of force.

AP video shot by Yong-ho Kim

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