US and South Korea staging biggest military drills for years as North ramps up tensions
On the southeast coast of South Korea its military is rehearsing.
It’s simulating the storming of a contested beach. Waves of KAAV amphibious assault vehicles crash on to the sand, groups of infantry disembark and run to take up positions.
It is an impressive display with a precise focus, to defend peace on this peninsula.
This sort of thing is routine enough for a nation still technically at war with its nuclear-armed northern neighbour, but it is the presence of its partner that is far less so.
Indeed, these drills are being run in collaboration with the United States and its that that’s drawn attention.
“We’re here to support our alliance with the Republic of Korea Marine Corp and Navy,” says Captain Kevin Buss of the US Marines.
“It’s been a while since the last time we’ve done it, but this is a routine exercise, it’s defensive in nature and it’s just contributing to the combined defence of the Korean Peninsula.”
He was being careful with his words, but the broader message spoke for itself.
Indeed, the huge amphibious vehicle that roared onto the sand to “support” the initial Korean wave seemed to offer an apt metaphor for this relationship.
A series of joint drills named Freedom Shield and Warrior Shield have been running for several weeks.
It’s the first time they’ve gone ahead at this scale for five years.
They had previously happened annually, but were paused in the wake of the historic 2018 meeting between the US and North Korean leaders, President Trump and Kim Jong-Un.
At that time they agreed to a denuclearisation deal, but negotiations since fell apart and the resumption of the drills is a reflection of how tensions have spiralled since.
Indeed, last year North Korea launched more missiles than during any since Kim Jong-Un came to power in 2011.
There are some in South Korea that see these drills as provocative, an escalation that makes them less safe. A handful of protestors baring banners reading “US troops get out of Korea” showed up at the drills site and were quickly moved on by police.
And these views are not unfounded. North Korea sees American military cooperation with the south as particularly threatening and provocative.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
North Korea launches missile to ‘strike fear into enemies’
It has responded in the last few weeks by launching a barrage of nuclear capable missiles, including one from a submarine and its most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile to date. It has also unveiled nuclear warheads and a new underwater drone capable, it says, of unleashing a “super-scale radioactive tsunami”.
The South Korean government insists in light of this its response is proportionate, necessary and defensive.
“North Korea has constantly been developing nuclear weapons for years despite our efforts to have talks with them,” says Shin Beom-chul, South Korea’s vice defence minister.
“The reality is that the threat has been increasing. So, in response to the rising threat, we have been resuming military drills since President Yoon was inaugurated.
“If North Korea’s current level of progress is anywhere near its previous nuclear tests, then yes, I believe they could test a nuclear weapon whenever they please.”
If another full nuclear test is undertaken, it will be the first since 2017 and it will be a major escalation.
It is the “next step” many fear, as South Korea may find it hard not to respond.
There is nothing new about the threats in this part of the world, but it certainly feels efforts to deter them are being renewed, this time with a message of strength and allegiance.
Elon Musk has stepped up his attacks on Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and spending bill – weeks after a spectacular fallout between the world’s richest man and the US president.
Following weeks of relative silence after clashing with Mr Trump over his “big beautiful bill”, the billionaire vowed to unseat politicians who support it.
In a post on X, Musk said those who had campaigned on cutting spending but then backed the bill “should hang their heads in shame”.
He added: “And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth.”
Musk also threatened to put their faces on a poster which said “liar” and “voted to increase America’s debt” by $5trn (£3.6trn).
The posts attracted a swift reply from Mr Trump, who claimed the billionaire “may get more subsidy than any human being in history” for his electric car business.
“Without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa,” he wrote on Truth Social.
“No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Elon’s dad on the Musk-Trump bust-up
Musk spent at least $250m (£182m) supporting Mr Trump in his presidential campaign and then led the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which sacked about 120,000 federal employees.
He has argued the legislation would greatly increase the US national debt and wipe out the savings he claimed he achieved through DOGE.
As the Senate discussed the package, Musk called it “utterly insane and destructive”.
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO said the bill’s massive spending indicated “we live in a one-party country – the PORKY PIG PARTY!!”
“Time for a new political party that actually cares about the people,” he wrote.
Read more from Sky News:
Stab victim describes horrible reality of knife crime
Royal train to be scrapped with family to rely on helicopters
👉 Follow Trump100 on your podcast app 👈
Musk previously said some of his social media posts during his dramatic fallout with Mr Trump “went too far”.
He had shared a series of posts on X, including one that described Mr Trump’s tax and spending bill as a “disgusting abomination”.
He also claimed, in a since-deleted post, that the president appeared in files relating to the disgraced paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
But Musk later wrote: “I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far.”
In response, the president told the New York Post: “I thought it was very nice that he did that.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be meeting Donald Trump next Monday, according to US officials.
The visit on 7 July comes after Mr Trump suggested it was possible a ceasefire in Gaza could be reached within a week.
On Sunday, he wrote on social media: “MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!!”
At least 60 people killed across Gaza on Monday, in what turned out to be some of the heaviest attacks in weeks.
Benjamin Netanyahu, left, with Donald Trump during a previous meeting. Pic: Reuters
According to the Hamas-run health ministry, 56,500 people have been killed in the 20-month war.
The visit by Mr Netanyahu to Washington has not been formally announced and the officials who said it would be going ahead spoke on condition of anonymity.
An Israeli official in Washington also confirmed the meeting next Monday.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration was in constant communication with the Israeli government.
She said Mr Trump viewed ending the war in Gaza and returning remaining hostages held by Hamas as a top priority.
Read more from Sky News:
Queen Elizabeth II’s favourite form of transport to be scrapped
How does sunscreen work?
Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday
The war in Gaza broke out in retaliation for Hamas’ 7 October 2023 attacks on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw a further 250 taken hostage.
An eight-week ceasefire was reached in the final days of Joe Biden’s US presidency, but Israel resumed the war in March after trying to get Hamas to accept new terms on next steps.
Talks between Israel and Hamas have stalled over whether the war should end as part of any ceasefire.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike