Military exercise (Photo: kbs.co.kr)

On Thursday, the Republic of Korea began its annual military exercises aimed at deterring extended military threats posed by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.  The Joint Chiefs of Staff said that the "Hoguk Exercise" will last a week across the whole country, involving the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps as they seek to improve cohesiveness between all the armed forces. Some 500 U.S. troops have also taken part in this year’s exercise. The drill includes an aerial strategy to protect urban areas and another exercise to deter North Korea’s provocations. Pyongyang has condemned the exercise calling it in the past as tantamount of a war of aggression.