Seoul: South Korea and the United States kicked off their key summertime combined exercise today, with Seoul seeking to use the drills to accelerate efforts to regain wartime operational command (OPCON) from Washington.

According to Oman News Agency, the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise will run until 27 August. It features combined and all-domain operations aimed at boosting the allies' readiness and capabilities by incorporating realistic threats that reflect the rapidly changing modern warfare landscape. The UFS serves as a flagship combined exercise conducted by the allies each year to prepare for contingencies against North Korea.