South Korea and the United States commenced their annual large-scale joint military exercise, Ulchi Freedom Shield 2025, on August 18. The drills involve approximately 21,000 troops and include live-fire exercises, cyber defense operations, and civil defense mobilizations, aiming to enhance readiness against threats from nuclear-armed North Korea. This marks the first such exercise under South Korean President Lee Jae-myung's administration. Concurrently, President Lee has directed a phased, partial implementation of existing inter-Korean agreements, focusing on restoring the 2018 military pact as part of efforts to ease tensions with Pyongyang. The South Korean cabinet was instructed to prepare for a step-by-step rollout of these dormant agreements. Despite the conciliatory approach, North Korea strongly condemned the joint drills, with leader Kim Jong Un describing them as war provocations. South Korea's Foreign Minister Cho also indicated plans to devise a 'phased denuclearization' strategy for North Korea. The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises are scheduled to continue until August 28, with some outdoor field training postponed to September, reflecting sensitivity to inter-Korean dialogue efforts.