S. Korea to hold Hoguk exercises from Monday to Oct. 30, alongside delayed combined drills with US

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff announced Thursday that the 2026 Hoguk exercises will be held from Monday through Oct. 30 to enhance joint operational capabilities and strengthen military readiness.

Two of the seven South Korea-US combined field maneuver drills rescheduled during the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) combined CPX will also be conducted alongside the exercises.

Hoguk is a large-scale field maneuver exercise led by the South Korean military and held every year in the second half to strengthen the country's self-reliant defense capabilities. The exercises focus on integrating joint forces across multiple domains — including ground, maritime and air — to improve jointness and combat realism.

This year, in particular, the exercises will incorporate actual opposing forces and two-sided drills to reflect recent war trends and realistic threats. Command post exercises and various tactical discussions by the JCS combat staff will also be conducted in parallel.

The JCS said it would "establish a firm readiness posture capable of responding immediately to any threat."

The remaining five of the seven combined field maneuver drills rescheduled during the UFS CPX — excluding the two being conducted alongside Hoguk — are also set to take place before the end of this year.

The JCS asked for public understanding and cooperation, noting that the movement of large numbers of troops and equipment along major roads during the exercise period may cause some traffic congestion and noise.