Who took part in the Korean military exchange event before Ulchi Freedom Shield?

The Joint Chiefs of Staff invited 66 soldiers from 11 of the 18 UNC member states in Korea. The event took place at the War Memorial of Korea in Yongsan ahead of their participation in the exercise.

Why did the Korean military hold a friendship-building event for UNC troops?

The JCS said the event was meant to express gratitude for the dedication and efforts of UNC member-state troops joining UFS. It also aimed to strengthen ties built through mutual trust.

What did UNC troops do during the visit to Panmunjom?

They visited the inter-Korean border village to observe the security environment on the Korean Peninsula firsthand. The JCS said the visit was also meant to help them learn the historical significance of the Korean War.

Korean military hosts exchange event for UNC troops ahead of key combined drills with US

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Summary

The Korean military hosted an exchange event Wednesday in Yongsan for troops from United Nations Command member states in Korea ahead of the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise starting next Monday. The Joint Chiefs of Staff invited 66 soldiers from 11 of the UNC’s 18 member states to the friendship-building event at the War Memorial of Korea. The troops also visited Panmunjom to observe the security environment and learn the historical significance of the Korean War.

Key Facts

The UNC administers and enforces the Armistice Agreement that ended the 1950-53 Korean War.
UNC soldiers are set to take part in the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise as reinforcement troops in a supporting role.
The event was organized to express gratitude for the UNC member-state troops and to strengthen ties based on trust, according to the JCS.
Among the participants were descendants of Australian and New Zealand war veterans who fought alongside Korean forces under the U.N. flag.

By Yonhap

Published Aug 12, 2026 4:33 pm KST

Korean and United Nations Command (UNC) member-state troops pose during an exchange event at the War Memorial of Korea in Seoul's Yongsan District, Wednesday, ahead of their participation in the upcoming Ulchi Freedom Shield combined exercise. Courtesy of Joint Chiefs of Staff

The Korean military hosted an exchange event Wednesday with troops representing the member states of the United Nations Command (UNC) in Korea, ahead of their participation in an upcoming combined exercise between Korea and the United States, military officials said.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) invited 66 soldiers from 11 of the 18 UNC member states to the "friendship-building" event at the War Memorial of Korea in Yongsan, as the troops are set to take part in the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise starting next Monday.

The UNC, which administers and enforces the Armistice Agreement that ended the 1950-53 Korean War, has sent its soldiers to the UFS drills as reinforcement troops providing a supporting role.

The event was organized to express gratitude for the dedication and efforts of the UNC member-state troops participating in the UFS and to further strengthen ties based on the trust they have built together, the JCS said in a statement.

As part of the event, the troops also visited the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom to observe the security environment on the Korean Peninsula firsthand and learn the historical significance of the Korean War, the JCS added.

Among the participants were the descendants of Australian and New Zealand war veterans who fought alongside Korean forces under the U.N. flag.

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