The United States, South Korea and Japan will kick off their annual Freedom Edge trilateral military exercise on Sept. 7, Seoul said Friday. In this September 2025 photo, the USS Curtis Wilbur steams in formation with allied ships during a Freedom Edge exercise at sea. File Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Mark Bergado/U.S. Navy
SEOUL, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- The United States, South Korea and Japan will kick off their annual Freedom Edge trilateral military exercise on Sept. 7, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Friday.
The multi-domain drills will run through Sept. 11 and will be held in international waters east and south of South Korea's Jeju Island, the JCS said in a message to reporters.
"This exercise is a defensive exercise conducted annually by the three nations to counter North Korea's nuclear and missile threats and to safeguard regional peace and stability," the message said.
The announcement comes after Seoul and Washington cut short their joint Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise following an order by U.S. President Donald Trump aimed at restarting direct diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
