▲ This photo, provided by the defense ministry, shows Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back (C) inspecting the joint defense posture at the Combined Air Component Command on March 11, 2026, amid the Freedom Shield exercise, an annual joint springtime military exercise between South Korea and the United States. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

defense chief-joint exercise

Defense minister inspects S. Korea-U.S. military exercise sites

SEOUL, March 11 (Yonhap) -- Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back on Wednesday inspected sites of an ongoing South Korea-U.S. military exercise, calling for thorough preparations for the planned recovery of wartime operational command from the United States.

The minister visited the defense command headquarters, the command center for the Freedom Shield (FS) exercise, where he received a briefing on the progress of the drills, his ministry said.

The allies launched the annual springtime military exercise on Monday for an 11-day run, with this year's event focusing on assessing conditions to achieve the transfer of wartime operational control of troops from Washington to Seoul.

South Korea has been seeking to achieve the "conditions-based" handover of wartime command from the U.S. within President Lee Jae Myung's five-year term that ends in 2030.

Ahn called for thorough preparations for the plan, reaffirming Seoul's goal of completing the second phase of the three-stage assessment and verification process for the transfer by the end of this year.

The minister subsequently visited the Combined Air Component Command and received briefings on the joint defense posture and ongoing FS drills from South Korean and U.S. Air Force commanders.

"The blood-forged South Korea-U.S. alliance is the foundation of South Korea's solid national security," Ahn said, emphasizing the ever-increasing importance of close communications and trust between the allies.

Ahn also inspected 10 field drills under the FS exercise, including a joint flight drill, meeting with and encouraging participating South Korean and U.S. soldiers, his ministry said.

(END)

[ⓒ K-VIBE. 무단전재-재배포 금지]