The United States and South Korea will kick off their Ulchi Freedom Shield large-scale joint military exercise this month, both countries announced Thursday.

South Korea and the US will launch their annual joint military exercises this month to counter North Korean threats, likely irritating Pyongyang. View on euronews

U.S. Army soldiers participate in a joint river-crossing exercise between South Korea and the United States as a part of the Freedom Shield military exercise in Yeoncheon, South Korea, Thursday, March 20,

Speaking at a joint press conference, officials downplayed concerns that South Korea’s new liberal President Lee Jae Myung is looking to scale back this year’s drills in an effort to open a door for dialogue with their northern neighbours.

A blistering heat wave sweeping across the Korean Peninsula has forced the U.S. and South Korean militaries to postpone half of their field training drills this month, scaling back Ulchi Freedom Shield one of their largest annual joint exercises,

U.S. joint military drills Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson Col. Lee Sung-jun (L) and Col. Ryan Donald, spokesperson for the U.S. Forces Korea, attend a press briefing at the defense ministry in Seoul on Aug.