10 Jul 2018 | 09:40 AM UTC
South Korea: Annual mobilization drill canceled July 10
Seoul scraps annual government mobilization drill with the US to appease North Korea as peace talks in Korean peninsula considered
Event
On July 10, the South Korean government canceled the yearly Ulchi mobilization drill with the US to appease North Korea and facilitate the holding of peace talks in the Korean peninsula, currently being discussed with Pyongyang. The cancelation comes after Seoul and Washington announced in June that the Ulchi Freedom Guardian joint annual war games, initially planned in August, had been called off.
Context
The Ulchi military exercises usually occur in August along with the joint Freedom Guardian military exercise with the US military forces. Conducted since 1968, the Ulchi drill is South Korea’s largest annual training exercise to assess its warfare preparedness and crisis management skills. Half a million civil servants are usually mobilized for the event.
Advice
Individuals present in South Korea are advised to monitor the progress of the ongoing North-South dialogue and to stay away from public gatherings and rallies.
