The United States and South Korea have kicked off joint military drills with scenarios assuming an emergency on the Korean Peninsula. The drills are scheduled from Monday through September 1.

The exercises, named Ulchi Freedom Shield, are to include the first large-scale field maneuver training in about four years. They are also the first regular US-South Korea joint drills since Yoon Suk-yeol took office as South Korean president in May.

Troops are scheduled to rehearse shooting from attack helicopters and removing weapons of mass destruction.

South Korean government agencies also started crisis-management drills on Monday.
Yoon told a Cabinet meeting that to maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula, a watertight security posture must serve as the basis.

The US-South Korea joint field drills were either canceled or scaled down under the administration of President Moon Jae-in, who wanted to promote dialogue with North Korea.

The conservative Yoon administration views large-scale military exercises with the US as an important deterrence measure.

The exercises are likely to provoke a strong reaction from Pyongyang, which has called for their cancellation.

Last week, Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, sharply criticized Yoon for the drills, calling him shameless.