South Korea carried out its first nationwide civil defense drill since 2017 on Wednesday, which in particular saw the exits to subway stations closed with commuters asked to remain inside.
During the 20-minute exercise, which kicked off at 2 pm local time, air-raid sirens sounded, calling for pedestrians to get off the streets for about 15 minutes before the alert was eased.
People were required to go directly to a designated shelter or nearby underground space, while drivers in about 200 areas nationwide were obliged to pull to the side of the road. Those in supermarkets, movie theatres and other public facilities were guided to evacuate.
A police officer guides citizens into underground facilities after an air raid siren sounded during a civil defense drill against possible artillery attacks by North Korea in Seoul on August 23, 2023
© AFP 2023 / JUNG YEON-JE
The drill came as part of the wilder Ulchi civil defense exercises that are held alongside the Ulchi Freedom Shield war games, which South Korean and US troops launched on Monday.
The US Forces Korea (USFK), in turn, reported that apart from South Korean and US troops, personnel from nine member countries of the UN Command will join the exercise, including Australia, Canada, France, Britain, Greece, Italy, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Thailand.
The UN Command is the multinational military force established to support South Korea during and after the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended with the signing of an armistice stipulating that Korea would remain a divided country.
The Ulchi Freedom Shield drills come as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un inspected the launch of strategic cruise missiles from a patrol ship of his country’s East Sea Fleet.
A North Korean news agency reported that the missile test had showcased the ship’s combat capabilities and prepared the sailors for “carrying out the attack mission in actual war.”
The media outlet also quoted Kim reportedly praising the vessel’s crew for “maintaining high mobility and mighty striking power and constant preparedness for combat to cope with a sudden situation.”
Pyongyang has repeatedly conducted missile tests in response to what North Korea describes as provocative war games carried out by Japan, South Korea, and the US.