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Members of the group Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea hold a press conference with signs and a banner outside the presidential office in Seoul on Aug. 21, where they call on Seoul and Washington to call off the upcoming Ulchi Freedom Shield joint drill. (Kim Gyoung-ho/The Hankyoreh)

Members of a South Korean civic group have demanded that Seoul and Washington call off the 2023 Ulchi Freedom Shield, a joint military exercise held each year.

“This year’s joint exercise will be the biggest yet, involving both US strategic assets and more troops than ever before. It will also cover ultra-aggressive, contentious operations such as neutralizing North Korea’s nuclear missiles and other strategic assets according to OPLAN [operation plan] 2022, which outlines a preemptive strike on North Korea,” said activists from the group Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea in a press conference held in front of Korea’s presidential office, in Yongsan, Monday morning.

Members of the group Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea hold a press conference with signs reading “We oppose the illegal intervention of US Forces Korea/South Korean troops in the Taiwan issue!” outside the presidential office in Seoul on Aug. 21, where they call on Seoul and Washington to call off the upcoming Ulchi Freedom Shield joint drill. (Kim Gyoung-ho/The Hankyoreh)

“North Korea has vociferously objected to the US’ deployment of strategic assets, declaring that nuclear-capable ballistic missile submarines making port calls [in South Korea] would satisfy [legal] requirements for using nuclear weapons. South Korea and the US should immediately halt the 2023 Ulchi Freedom Shield joint exercise because of its extreme danger — the danger of escalating into nuclear war.”

“The pledge made by Korea, the US and Japan in their summit at Camp David to consult [about security threats] could serve as the basis for legalizing Japanese participation in hostilities on the Korean Peninsula. Adding Japan to the South Korea-US Nuclear Consultative Group could allow Japan to participate in a nuclear confrontation on the Korean Peninsula,” the activists also said in their press conference.

“Concluding a peace treaty is the only way to avoid a nuclear confrontation between North Korea and the US and to build a peace regime here,” they said.

Members of the group Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea hold a press conference with signs reading “Call off war drills” outside the presidential office in Seoul on Aug. 21, where they call on Seoul and Washington to call off the upcoming Ulchi Freedom Shield joint drill. (Kim Gyoung-ho/The Hankyoreh)

Members of the group Solidarity for Peace and Reunification of Korea hold a press conference with signs reading “Abolish extended deterrence” outside the presidential office in Seoul on Aug. 21, where they call on Seoul and Washington to call off the upcoming Ulchi Freedom Shield joint drill. (Kim Gyoung-ho/The Hankyoreh)

By Kim Gyoung-ho, staff reporter

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