# South Korea Ulchi exercise preparations

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/south-korea-ulchi-exercise-preparations
> Updated: 2026-08-10T05:01:02.000Z. Sources: 12. Developments: 2.

South Korea is preparing for the 2026 Ulchi Exercise, which involves both national civil defense efforts and joint military operations with the United States.

At the domestic level, local authorities and government agencies are conducting emergency preparedness drills. These activities include mobilizing emergency services, simulating relief centers for displaced persons, and reviewing wartime support systems for small and medium-sized enterprises to ensure government stability during national emergencies or cyber-attacks.

On a military level, South Korea and the United States will conduct the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise from August 17 to 27. The 11-day drill involves approximately 18,000 South Korean troops and aims to strengthen the allies' defense posture and readiness against potential contingencies on the Korean Peninsula. The announcement follows recent North Korean ballistic missile testing.

The exercise will incorporate realistic scenarios to address modern threats, such as electronic warfare, GPS disruption, drone countermeasures, and cyberattacks. Military officials noted that training will account for recent warfare developments, specifically noting that North Korean soldiers participating in the conflict in Ukraine may bring new combat lessons back to the DPRK. While the allies describe the exercises as defensive, North Korea frequently characterizes such drills as provocations and rehearsals for an invasion. The United Nations Command (UNC) will use the period to conduct headquarters-level training, testing communication channels and crisis management protocols.

## Claims

- South Korea and the United States will conduct the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise from August 17 to 27. (corroborated by 8 sources)
- Approximately 18,000 South Korean soldiers will participate in the exercise. (corroborated by 7 sources)
- The training accounts for North Korean capabilities changed by lessons learned from their troops' deployment in the war in Ukraine. (corroborated by 7 sources)
- The allies plan to conduct 14 combined field training events at the battalion level or above during the UFS period. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The drills will incorporate exercises to counter drones, GPS disruption, and cyberattacks. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The United Nations Command will focus on headquarters-level training during this year's UFS to test communication and crisis management. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-10: South Korea and U.S. to conduct annual Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercises

South Korea and the U.S. will conduct the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercises from August 17-27, focusing on drone warfare, cyberattacks, and evolving threats following North Korean involvement in Uc

9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/south-korea-and-us-to-begin-annual-ulchi-freedom-shield-exercise

### 2026-08-09: South Korea prepares for 2026 Ulchi Exercise

South Korean authorities and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups will conduct the 2026 Ulchi Exercise from August 18–21 to test emergency response, national security, and wartime support systems.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/south-korea-prepares-for-2026-ulchi-exercise

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Cite as: South Korea Ulchi exercise preparations. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/south-korea-ulchi-exercise-preparations