This week, the armed forces of the United States and South Korea conducted their largest joint military and logistical exercises to date on the Korean Peninsula; the exercises are scheduled to conclude on Thursday.
The Combined Forces Command (CFC) of both countries reported that the Combined Joint Support Training (CJST) took place from July 13 to 16 near Pohang in North Gyeongsang Province and in Hongcheon County, Gangwon Province.
The CJST aims to strengthen the two militaries’ ability to sustain operations during contingencies on the peninsula. The drills, which featured a record number of participants and equipment, involved 4,400 personnel—2,400 South Korean and 2,000 U.S.—and the deployment of 600 pieces of equipment, including naval vessels and aircraft, according to the South Korean agency Yonhap.
Exercises included an interoperability check with a simulated joint landing, as well as medical assistance and casualty evacuation drills using South Korean KUH-1M medical helicopters and U.S. C-130 Hercules transport planes.
These drills, conducted regularly since 2017, are part of a series of trainings focused on improving the efficiency of military logistics distribution, covering personnel, fuel and equipment for combat units.
The exercises were held after Seoul said two weeks ago that it was maintaining “close coordination” with the United States following recent projectile launches by the North Korean regime.
Lee Kyung Ho, vice spokesman for South Korea’s Ministry of Defense, said that “South Korea and the United States detected and tracked in real time the multiple projectiles launched by North Korea (…), maintaining close coordination for all contingencies.”
Lee explained that the projectiles were classified as “tactical weapon systems” and said the bilateral information‐sharing and coordination mechanism with the United States “continues to work flawlessly,” according to Yonhap.
“Our Armed Forces maintain a 24‐hour state of alert,” Lee emphasized, urging the public not to question the dedication of the South Korean and U.S. militaries in defending the country and protecting the population.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw tests that coincided with the 76th anniversary of the Korean War (1950–1953), which involved the use of new artillery systems and missiles. Kim reiterated his intent to instill “fear” and “unease” in “the enemy,” referring to Seoul.
South Korean President Lee Jae‐myung has advocated since June 2025 for a diplomatic approach to Pyongyang, but no formal talks have taken place. The two Koreas remain technically at war, as the 1953 conflict ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty.
North Korea announced last Friday that it will strengthen its nuclear force in both quality and quantity as part of its military modernization. The decision was made during a plenary meeting of the ruling party’s central military commission.
State news agency KCNA reported that the regime agreed “to strengthen the nuclear force in both quality and quantity and to proceed with plans to standardize, specialize and modernize military bases.” The report also said technical infrastructure for combat systems will be upgraded and the construction of “modern naval bases” will be accelerated.
(With reporting from Europa Press)