US, South Korea Vow to Scale Up Joint Military Drills to Deter North Korean Threats

U.S. soldiers participate in a joint military drill between the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division Stryker Battalion and the ROK 25th Infantry Division Army Tiger Demonstration Brigade at a training field in Paju, South Korea on Jan. 13, 2023. Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images

The United States and South Korea agreed on Jan. 31 to scale up their joint military exercises in a bid to counter North Korea’s military escalation.

In a joint statement, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup condemned North Korea’s continued provocations and vowed to take “a strong stance” against any further military action.