The chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) from South Korea, the United States, and Japan have pledged to continue the annual trilateral joint exercise known as “Freedom Edge.” This multi-domain drill, which takes place across air, underwater, maritime, space, and cyber areas, faced significant backlash from North Korea during its initial run in June 2024. Pyongyang criticized it as “the Asian equivalent of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization).” This move is seen as the United States reinforcing its determination to maintain a coordinated response with South Korea and Japan, despite the implicit support from Russia and China regarding North Korea’s nuclear program.
As per the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the 23rd South Korea-U.S.-Japan JCS Chairmen’s Meeting was held in Washington, D.C., on the 15th (local time), with participation from Chairman Jin Yong-sung of the South Korean JCS, Chairman Dan Caine of the U.S. JCS, and Chief of the Japan’s Integrated Staff Office Uchikura Hiroaki. In a shared statement, the three JCS leaders emphasized, “Security collaboration among the three nations is essential for efficiently addressing North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats as well as other regional challenges and risks.”
The three JCS chairmen also remarked, “We have decided to keep working together towards the total denuclearization of North Korea as outlined in pertinent United Nations Security Council resolutions.” The UN Security Council resolutions require North Korea to relinquish its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, including weapons of mass destruction (WMD), in a “complete, verifiable, and irreversible way.” Furthermore, the three JCS chairmen noted, “We will keep looking into actions to sustain the drive behind trilateral security collaboration, including the annual South Korea-U.S.-Japan exercise Freedom Edge.”
The Freedom Edge exercise has been carried out three times by the three nations near the Korean Peninsula: in June and November 2024, and in September of the previous year. North Korea has expressed strong objections every time, and last year, Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, issued a statement criticizing it as “a reckless display of military power.” It is reported that military officials from the three countries are getting ready to hold Freedom Edge in the second half of this year.
The gathering was also joined by Commander of U.S. Forces Korea Xavier Brunson, Commander of U.S. Forces Japan Steven Jost, and Deputy Commander of the Pacific Command George Lowell. The three JCS chairmen agreed to host the following meeting in Japan next year.
jasdooit 
Leave a comment