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The large-scale U.S.-ROK joint exercise "Freedom Shield" will begin tomorrow (13th). There is also the possibility that North Korea may launch a provocation by revealing that it has "decided on measures to aggressively utilize deterrence of war" ahead of the joint exercises.

Yoon-Sik Jung is a reporter.

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The ROK-U.S. Joint Exercise "Shield of Freedom," in which
a large number of U.S. strategic assets participate, will begin tomorrow for 11 days, the longest ever.

During this exercise, the United States and the Republic of Korea will focus on more than 20 exercises, including the Twin Dragon Combined Amphibious Exercise and the Combined Special Operations Exercise.

In particular, it included large-scale combined maneuver exercises that were suspended at the end of 2018 during the Moon Jae-in administration.

U.S. strategic assets are also likely to be deployed in large numbers.

Plans are underway to conduct the Combined Carrier Strike Group exercise with the Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to the Korean Peninsula and the ROK-U.S.-Japan Missile Warning Exercise in conjunction with this exercise.

There is also the possibility of deploying Aegis destroyers capable of detecting and intercepting ballistic missiles and nuclear-powered submarines carrying Tomahawk missiles to the Korean Peninsula.

The United States and the Republic of Korea plan to use this joint exercise to review their combined defense posture and strengthen deterrence against North Korea.

There is also the possibility that North Korea could launch a provocation in response to large-scale joint exercises.

The Korean Central News Agency reported that at an enlarged meeting of the WPK Central Military Committee, presided over by General Secretary Kim Jong-un, "important practical measures have been decided to aggressively utilize deterrence against war."

Although he did not disclose the details of the practical measures, it appears that the decision was made to demonstrate force in response to the ROK-U.S. joint exercises.

The ROK-US military authorities plan to strengthen surveillance and vigilance against possible North Korean provocations during the exercise.