U.S. and South Korean Military Drills Resume
TimeJUL 2022
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Seoul and Washington have for four years demonstrated goodwill toward Pyongyang in the hopes of creating a conducive environment for disarmament talks. However, as North Korea has failed to make good on its promises – resuming its missile tests and working on its nuclear program – this course correction is greatly needed to restore their readiness for an attack from the North.
Establishment-critical narrative
While Washington was truly committed to de-escalating tensions with North Korea, Pyongyang responded positively, halting missile tests and demolishing several testing sites. This changed when the US began to increase its military presence in the Asia-Pacific, posing an existential threat to the DPRK. The UFS is simply a provocative drill that will only escalate tensions even more.