On Tuesday the United States and South Korea launched its annual joint military exercise; the drills will last for ten days and the operation has been dubbed Ulchi Freedom Guardian; 530,000 troops from South Korea, the United States, and various United Nations member-states will participate in the drills; the drill is taking place on the Korean peninsula as well as U.S military headquarters in the Pacific; the United States has informed North Korea of the defensive nature of the drills; General James D. Thurman said the drill is “focused on preparing, preventing and prevailing against the full range of current and future external threats” to South Korea and the region