South Korea, the United States and Japan began a five-day Freedom Edge exercise Monday in waters east and south of Jeju, keeping the drill on schedule despite a recent cutback in Seoul-Washington Ulchi Freedom Shield drills. The allies said the exercise is meant to counter North Korean nuclear and missile threats and strengthen trilateral security cooperation. North Korea had the previous day commissioned the destroyer Kang Kon, and Kim Jong-un vowed to bolster nuclear capabilities. The U.S. side said the drills keep the same scope and training objectives.
From right, Rear Adm. Kim Ji-hoon of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) director of exercises and training, poses with Lt. Gen. Stephen Jost, commander of the U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ), and Vice Adm. Yoshiyasu Ishimaki, director general of the Operations Department for the Japan Joint Staff, during the launch ceremony for the 2026 Freedom Edge trilateral exercise, at the USFJ Command in Yokota Air Base near Tokyo, Monday. Courtesy of Joint Chiefs of Staff
South Korea, the United States and Japan began a five-day joint military exercise Monday, proceeding on schedule even as key Seoul-Washington drills were recently scaled back upon U.S. President Donald Trump's order.
