(VOVworld) – The Republic of Korea (RoK) and the United States have begun the annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG) drill, a joint military exercise aimed at testing their readiness to resist an invasion from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), according to RoK Defense Ministry.

Soldiers were participating in a joint military drill on August 1st. (Photo: Yonhap – VNA)

Thousands of soldiers are participating in the drill, which is largely played out on computers and will for the first time simulate to a nuclear attack threat. The exercise will last until August 29^th. The DPRK has demanded many times that the exercise be cancelled.