(260309) -- SEOUL, March 9, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Protesters chant slogans during a rally against military exercise in front of the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, March 9, 2026. South Korea and the United States on Monday kicked off their annual Freedom Shield (FS) joint military exercises, drawing protests from civic groups in Seoul who warned the drills could heighten regional tensions and undermine peace on the Korean Peninsula.
The exercise, scheduled to run for 11 days through March 19, includes 22 field training drills involving actual troop maneuvers, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff. (Photo by Jun Hyosang/Xinhua)
