Patriot missile systems are seen at Camp Humphreys, a sprawling U.S. military base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, Sunday. Yonhap
Korea and the United States kicked off their major spring joint Freedom Shield exercise Monday amid speculation that U.S. Forces Korea's (USFK) Patriot missiles have been deployed to the Middle East as regional tensions rise.
The 11-day exercise, which runs through March 19, involves about 18,000 personnel and incorporates lessons drawn from recent wars to reflect evolving and realistic threats in its operational scenarios, according to Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.
With Seoul and Washington accelerating efforts to transfer wartime operational control to Korea, this year's drills are also expected to focus on assessing and verifying whether conditions for the transition have been met.
The exercise comes amid rising indications that Patriot missile systems operated by USFK have been redeployed to the Middle East, as demand for interceptor missiles and air defense systems grows following the Feb. 28 U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.
Several U.S. military transport aircraft have been seen arriving at and departing from a U.S. air base in Pyeongtaek, just south of Seoul, in recent days, fueling speculation that USFK may be preparing to move missile defense systems to other regions.
USFK has not confirmed the deployment, citing operational security.
Asked whether any aspects of the Freedom Shield exercise had been adjusted following the Iran crisis, an official at Korea's Ministry of National Defense said the drills would proceed without disruption.
Officials are also wary of possible North Korean provocations during the joint exercise. Pyongyang has long denounced joint U.S.-South Korean drills as "rehearsals for invasion" and has often responded with missile launches or live-fire drills near the border.
However, some analysts say the Kim Jong-un regime may calibrate its response to avoid escalating tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump amid speculation that the two may hold a surprise summit around Trump's visit to China in April.
Source: Korea Times News
