Allies set to kick off annual joint exercise

South Korea and the United States will conduct their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise from Aug. 17-27 to strengthen their defense posture against potential contingencies on the Korean Peninsula, the allies announced at a press conference Monday. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff and the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command announced the schedule for this year's UFS, describing it as an "annual exercise of a defensive nature." The exercise will incorporate realistic scenarios reflecting l