Today, the United States and South Korea begin the largest military exercises between the two countries in the past five years. Under the name Freedom Shield, intensive exercises will be held for the next two weeks.
The exercises can be interpreted very broadly, thinks Professor of Korean Studies Remco Breuker of Leiden University. For example, exercises are organized in the field of cyber warfare, but also ground exercises. “Invasion scenarios are being practiced and the United States has flown in B-1B bombers. They can release a lot of bombs over a target – like North Korea.’
‘The United States has flown in B-1B bombers’
The reason Breuker mentions North Korea is that the exercises are most likely intended to deter North Korea. The dictatorship led by Kim Jong-un has made itself heard in recent months, according to Breuker, and has spoken a lot of warlike language in addition to firing missiles. Also with nuclear threat.
Do not agree with
In any case, Breuker thinks that the joint exercises are a clear response. “In doing so, the United States and South Korea show that they care about it and that they will stand their ground,” he says, while emphasizing that the North Korean threat has only strengthened the relationship between South Korea and the US. strengthens. “It’s back to normal.”
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Pyongyang is not happy with the military efforts of both countries, and warned yesterday not to continue the major joint exercises. The North Koreans also fired strategic cruise missiles yesterday as a test, and Breuker thinks it will not stop there. He expects that North Korea is guaranteed to respond to it. All the more so because it is the first time in five years that such large-scale exercises have been held, “so North Korea is obliged to threaten with hell and damnation,” he says. “And it will.”
Lots of barking, little biting
But, Breuker emphasizes, it will probably stay that way. “If it doesn’t escalate too much, it will stick to a few missile tests,” he says. It does play a role, however, that South Korea is seeking (and seems to be getting) rapprochement with Japan, something that North Korea is anything but happy with.
“North Korea is going to really resist it”
This is mainly due to the history of the Korean peninsula. Both sides have a difficult past with Japan, Breuker points out. Thus, both parts of Korea were colonized by the Japanese. The current South Korean president has now decided to move beyond that past and see Japan as an important partner in the region. ‘And then North Korea really finds itself facing a block,’ Breuker concludes. The United States, South Korea and Japan. That has a very restrictive effect on trade freedom, so they will strongly oppose it.’
