The Republic of Korea (ROK) and the United States completed their large-scale combined exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) 25.
Throughout the 11-day exercise, which concluded in late August 2025, ROK and U.S. Marines, Soldiers, Airmen and Sailors conducted defense-oriented training occurring in virtual, constructive and live-fire exercises that engaged alliance forces and government agencies. An annual exercise, UFS aims to enhance collaboration, interoperability and readiness between the two countries and across forces and domains.
“Ulchi Freedom Shield 25 is our premier exercise, a critical demonstration of the enduring strength of the U.S.-ROK Alliance and our commitment to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula,” U.S. Army Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of United Nations Command, Combined 228 Forces Command, and U.S. Forces Korea, said in a U.S. Forces Korea news release. “UFS is a defensive exercise designed to enhance our readiness, stress-test our combined capabilities, and build seamless interoperability with our ally and UNC. There is no substitute for being ready, and our ability to fight tonight and deter aggression is directly grounded in how we train today.”
UFS is conducted in the spirit of the October 1, 1953, ROK-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty and supports the Armistice Agreement that halted the Korean War. Swedish and Swiss representatives from the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission, which monitors the peninsula’s Demilitarized Zone, observed the exercise. Several United Nations Command member states contributed personnel and participated in various capacities.
South Korea Minister of National Defense Ahn Gyu-back visited the Combined Forces Command’s wartime command post, Command Post Theater Air Naval Ground Operations (CP TANGO) to observe training and assess readiness. He also toured the Theater Operations Center, which oversees all military operations on the Korean Peninsula. Ahn called the UFS drills a “precious opportunity” to display the steadfast South Korea-U.S. alliance and further bolster it, urging troops to focus on establishing a firm combined defense posture based on the spirit of “fight tonight,” according to Yonhap News Agency.
Ambassadors from United Nations Command (UNC) member states and U.S. Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Andy Kim also were invited to observe the exercise. “Ambassador Day offers our distinguished guests a rare opportunity to take a peek behind the curtain at how we prepare for crisis decision-making and coordination on the peninsula. It’s a chance to participate in an exercise that reflects the challenges of defending against aggression in a complex regional environment,” UNC spokesman U.S. Army Col. Ryan Donald said.
“Readiness is perishable. Exercises such as Ulchi Freedom Shield ensure our forces are prepared through realistic and rigorous training to respond in defense of the Republic of Korea and maintain stability on the peninsula.”
UFS occurred amid heightened tensions with North Korea, including a report that Pyongyang has an undeclared ballistic missile operating base about 27 kilometers from the China-North Korea border.
Seoul has said it wants to open talks with Kim Jong Un’s regime aimed at building peace while continuing to conduct military exercises with Allies to strengthen security. “When it comes to inter-Korean ties, there cannot be a single message,” South Korea’s Prime Minister Kim Min-seok said during a July 2025 news conference, according to Yonhap News Agency. “