South Korea, Japan, US to Hold Defence Drills on Heels of North Korea Attending China Parade

SEOUL—South Korea, Japan, and the United States will conduct annual defensive drills starting on Sept. 15 to upgrade aerial, naval, and cyber operational capabilities against North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats, South Korea’s military said on Friday.

The “Freedom Edge” exercise is an annual drill designed to implement regional peace and stability, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement, adding that the drill will be conducted in compliance with international law.

The military did not provide more details on the exercise, including the number of troops or types of equipment involved.

The exercise follows large-scale 10-day troop mobilisation drills by the South Korean and U.S. militaries last month to assess their defence readiness against North Korean threats, which Pyongyang criticised as proof of the allies’ hostile intent against it.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un concluded his visit by holding a summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday, reaffirming his support for China’s interests as he seeks to restore close ties with his country’s main economic benefactor.

Kim also held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Separately, South Korea’s defence ministry said on Friday that Japan’s defence minister and the chair of the NATO Military Committee will attend the Seoul Defense Dialogue of senior military officials from around the world starting on Monday.