▲ This photo, taken on Aug. 31, 2022, shows the U.S. military's M1A2 tank engaging in a South Korea-U.S. combined live-fire exercise in Rodriguez Live Fire Complex in Pocheon, 45 kilometers north of Seoul. (Yonhap)

S Korea-US-fire demonstration

S. Korea, U.S. mulling massive live-fire drills next year to mark 70th year of alliance: ministry

SEOUL, Dec. 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the United States are considering staging their first large-scale combined live-fire demonstration in six years next year to mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of their alliance, Seoul's defense ministry said Thursday.

Such an exercise usually involves thousands of troops as well as artillery pieces and other formidable weapons systems to highlight the allies' combined firepower. It did not take place during the preceding Moon Jae-in administration keen on inter-Korean engagement.

"Next year, the allies mark the 70th anniversary of the alliance's founding and on that occasion, we are weighing various ways to show off our military's stature and the alliance's overwhelming deterrence capabilities against North Korea," Jeon Ha-gyu, the ministry's spokesperson, told a regular press briefing. "A combined joint live-fire demonstration can be one of the options."

Seoul and Washington signed their mutual defense treaty in October 1953, months after the end of the three-year Korean War.

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