US, South Korea and Japan to hold ‘Freedom Edge’ drill amid North Korea tensions

The United States, South Korea and Japan are set to conduct the five-day “Freedom Edge” military exercise in waters off Jeju Island to counter North Korean nuclear threats and improve joint capabilities like anti-submarine warfare and missile defense.

The military drill will take place on September 7. The announcement comes as the US president expressed desire to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. But the prospects of diplomacy remain low as Pyongyang rebuffed President Trump's recent goodwill gesture of scaling back the bilateral Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise.

Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff announced that the annual, defensive Freedom Edge drills will take place in international waters south and east of Jeju Island.

Last week, President Trump scaled back a major joint exercise with South Korea. Later, the US subsequently cancelled a joint Marine Corps drill scheduled for next month citing Iran reasons.

On Thursday, US State Department approved the potential sale of $125 million ‌worth ⁠of AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air tactical missiles and related equipment to Seoul.

North Korea’s foreign ministry slammed this move, citing, “North Korea is aware of such threats and will have a serious, immediate and powerful ​response to hostile acts in different spheres.”

Since the collapse of 2019 diplomacy with the US, North Korea has expanded its nuclear arsenal and strengthened ties with Russia, while criticizing the trilateral exercises as a confrontational stance meant to pressure both North Korea, China, and Russia.