The US and South Korea on Monday began their largest joint military drill in years in a show of their preparedness amid heightened tensions with North Korea.
The Ulchi Freedom Shield annual exercises will involve aircraft, warships, tanks and potentially thousands of troops before concluding on 1 September.
South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol, who took office in May, vowed to “normalise” the combined exercises and boost deterrence against the North as it continues to threaten to upgrade its nuclear capabilities.