Home > National > Defense

Multinational augmentees from UNC member states arrive for Freedom Shield exercise

Published: 11 Mar. 2026, 15:43 Updated: 11 Mar. 2026, 16:51

This file photo uploaded on the Pentagon's Defense Visual Information Distribution Service on March 3 shows multinational forces from member states of the United Nations Command who have arrived in Korea to participate in annual springtime joint drills, dubbed Freedom Shield, which began earlier this week. [YONHAP]

Multinational forces from member states of the United Nations Command (UNC) have participated in an annual springtime military exercise between Seoul and Washington as augmentees, according to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command on Wednesday.

To bolster the UNC Headquarters, augmentees from UNC member states arrived on the Korean Peninsula as the allies began staging the Freedom Shield (FS) exercise on Monday for an 11-day run, according to a release uploaded on the command's website.

"Their arrival underscores the international community's enduring commitment to maintaining the armistice and ensuring the security and stability of the region," the release showed.

The multinational augmentees visited the Joint Security Area within the demilitarized zone and the War Memorial of Korea in central Seoul, as part of efforts to enhance their understanding of their mission.

In a separate release, the U.S. Seventh Air Force said it has taken part in this year's FS exercise alongside its South Korean counterparts to integrate airpower into combined joint all-domain operations.

The drills incorporate a range of training activities, which include noncombat evacuation operations, combined component live-fire training and operations focused on deterrence, according to the Seventh Air Force.

U.S. Space Forces - Korea also launched space component operations during the FS drills, integrating space capabilities across the allied forces in the Korean theater of operations.

Freedom Shield is a combined, joint, all-domain military training exercise that integrates ground, air, naval, space, cyber and information elements, enhancing readiness through realistic combat situations.

Yonhap