This year's Dokdo defense training, which is expected to be conducted this week, is likely to be delayed after the 20th of the end of the ROK-US combined exercises.

Defense Ministry spokesman Choi Hyun-soo said in a regular briefing on December 12, when the Dokdo defense training will be held this week, "I did not say exactly when (the training) schedule. It will be carried out at an appropriate time." Replied.

The military is responding that the timing and scale of the training is "still fluid."

Originally, the military has been actively considering implementing Dokdo defense training this month, which had been postponed in June, considering the impact on Korea-Japan relations.

The military is said to have provisionally set 12 or 13 days before the liberation day as the start of the training.
However, considering that Typhoon Rekima and CROSSA are heading north and the ROK-US combined exercises, which began the day before, will continue until the 20th of this year, Dokdo defense training is likely to be delayed after 20 days.

As some have analyzed that Dokdo defense training has been considered as one of the response cards to Japan's economic retaliation measures, there are not many prospects that the specific timing and scale can be directly or indirectly linked to the conflict between Korea and Japan.

Earlier, Chung Dae-yong, chief of the National Security Office, said at the plenary meeting of the National Assembly Steering Committee that he plans to do two Dokdo defense drills this year. He said, "We will review and decide on the situation."

The military has conducted Dokdo defense training every year in the first half and second half of the year in order to demonstrate the willingness to defend Dokdo, the territory of the Republic of Korea, and to master the technology of blocking foreign invasion.

Last year, training took place on June 18-19 and December 13-14.

Usually, Dokdo defense drills include naval ships including Korean destroyers (3,200 tons), maritime ships, P-3C naval aircraft, and F-15K fighters.