On Dec 19, South Korea announced the commencement of joint special operations exercises with the US in response to heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula following Pyongyang’s recent missile launches. The drills, initiated on December 18 and spanning two weeks, occur at various special war school training sites. Video footage from the ministry showcases US and South Korean soldiers engaged in the exercises, including target shooting. Concurrently, North Korea revealed it tested the Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missile on Dec 18, assessing its nuclear force’s preparedness amid mounting US hostility and the implementation of a real-time missile data sharing system by Washington and its allies.