Seoul, Aug. 10 (SANA)South Korea and the United States announced Monday that their armed forces will conduct large-scale joint military exercises next week.A joint statement issued by the armed forces of the two countries and published by Yonhap News Agency said the “Ulchi Freedom Shield” exercises will take place from Aug. 17 to 27.The drills will include simulations of realistic threats and comprehensive joint operations aimed at strengthening the readiness and capabilities of the two allies.South Koreaand theUnited Statesconduct two major joint exercises annually: “Freedom Shield” in the spring and “Ulchi Freedom Shield” in the summer.South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the upcoming exercises will provide an opportunity to support preparations for the conditional transfer of wartime operational control fromWashingtontoSeoul.The two countries are currently implementing the second phase of a three-stage plan agreed upon for the transfer of operational command.South Korea aims to complete the transfer before the end of President Lee Jae-myung’s term in 2030 or earlier, while the United States has called for ensuring that required conditions are fully met before completing the process.The Joint Chiefs of Staff said the allies will also conduct field training known as “Warrior Shield”, linked to simulation-based scenarios, to improve training realism and enhance combat readiness.Reports indicate that the allies plan to conduct 14 battalion-level or higher field training events this year, compared with 39 battalion- or company-level exercises during the 2025 Ulchi Freedom Shield drills.The United Nations Command, which oversees the armistice agreement that ended the Korean War (1950–1953), said it will send about 70 additional personnel from 12 of its 18 member countries to participate in this year’s exercises, according to a command official.