Chairman Kim Kyung-soo of the Joint Chiefs of Staff visited the 10th Fighter Wing on the 12th ahead of the regular South Korea-U.S. joint exercise, Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS).
After inspecting the operational readiness, Chairman Kim emphasized, "We must maintain a posture that can immediately respond to any provocations by the enemy under the guise of joint exercises," and asked, "Under the leadership of the wing commander, all personnel should maintain a state of operational readiness to be able to launch at any time following a safety inspection, fostering teamwork.
Chairman Kim visited the emergency waiting room to encourage pilots and maintenance and weapons personnel before checking the opposing force war simulation headquarters. He noted, "The role of the opposing force (Red Team) is crucial for achieving practical training objectives," and urged them to do their best in fulfilling the mission of the opposing force while reflecting the rapidly changing security situation and war dynamics to enhance the South Korea-U.S. combined defense capabilities.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff explained, "This on-site guidance was conducted to check the readiness posture and the real-world joint exercise preparation status, and to encourage the soldiers who are doing their best to fulfill their mission even under difficult conditions."
Meanwhile, North Korea condemned the South Korea-U.S. joint exercise through Defense Minister No Kwang-chul's statement on the 11th.