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SUPPLEMENTAL
Monday, 11 August 2008

This is the USFK J2 OSINT Supplemental Product.

This product provides media analysis of North Korean
reporting on Ulchi Freedom Guardian – an annual ROK-US
combined military exercise.

Summary: The North Korean (NK) media has reported on the decision of the US and ROK
governments to change the ROK-US combined military exercise’s name from “Ulchi Focus
Lens” (UFL) to “Ulchi Freedom Guardian” (UFG) since Jan 08. The reports have asserted the
main focus of UFG is to prepare for “northward aggression” and to prepare for a preemptive
strike against NK. The NK media has reported on, and denounced, all major ROK-US
combined military exercises since the mid-70’s. Its characterization of the exercises has been
consistent – “an act of provocation and northward aggression.”

(By MAJ Steve Sin, USA; and Mr. Yung Kim, CIV; USFK J2/JIOC K OSINT)

Please direct your questions and comments to MAJ Steve Sin, Chief, USFK J2 OSINT:
DSN – (315) 725-5045, Commercial – +82-2-7915-5045, or Email – CIOCCAOSINT@us.army.mil

Information contained in this document is entirely derived from unclassified, open source,
information. This product is based exclusively on the content and behavior of selected media
and has not been coordinated with other US Government components. This report may contain
copyrighted material. Copying and dissemination is prohibited without permission of the
copyright owners.

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United States Forces Korea J2 Korea Open Source Digest Supplemental

The North Korean (NK) media has reported on the decision of the US and ROK governments to
change the ROK-US combined military exercise’s name from “Ulchi Focus Lens” (UFL) to “Ulchi
Freedom Guardian” (UFG) since Jan 08.

The reports asserted the name change is related to the wartime operational control transfer
scheduled for 2012, and implied there may be some changes to the exercise this year; however,
their characterization of UFG remained consistent with its past characterizations of UFL. The
reports

The NK media has reported on, and denounced, all major ROK-US combined military exercises
since the mid-70’s. Its characterization of the exercises has been consistent – “an act of
provocation and northward aggression.”

ƒ NK Media reported that the name change is in line with the scheduled wartime
operational control transfer in 2012.

“…the United States and the South Korean military authorities have decided to
change the names of the "Reception, Staging, Onward Movement, and
Integration [RSOI] exercise" to "Key Resolve" and the "Ulchi Focus Lens" joint
military exercise to "Ulchi Freedom Guardian" from this year. It is said that these
names will be used until 2012 when the United States returns the "wartime
operational control" to South Korea.” (Rodong Sinmun – 01/02/2008)

“…the name "Ulchi Freedom Guardian," which was proposed by South Korea, is
said to contain the meaning of the South Korean forces "safeguarding peace" by
"fostering the capacity to conduct planning and operations" on their own.”
(Rodong Sinmun – 01/02/2008)

“…Key Resolve is an exercise designed to help US forces efficiently dispatch

additional forces to and deploy them across the peninsula in times of emergency,
while the UFG is designed to enhance South Korean forces capacity to conduct
military planning and operations on their own to safeguard peace.” (Korean
Central Broadcasting Station – 02/22/2008)

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United States Forces Korea J2 Korea Open Source Digest Supplemental

ƒ NK reports assert that the ROK-US combined military exercise, UFG, serves the same
purpose as the previous exercises – to wage a “war of northward aggression” and
conduct a preemptive nuclear attack against NK.

“…although the commander of the US forces occupying South Korea and the
chairman of the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff agreed on changing the
names of the RSOI and the UFL into Key Resolve and UFG respectively, the
military exercises' size and aggressive nature remain unchanged and were rather
increased.” (Korean Central Broadcasting Station – 02/22/2008)

“The Ulchi Freedom Guardian joint military exercise is a provocative war exercise
for northward aggression that changed the signboard of the Ulchi Focus Lens
[U'lchi Focus Lens] exercise which had been conducted by the United States and
the puppet warmongers every year since the mid-1970s.” (Korean Central
Broadcasting Station – 07/18/2008)

“The United States and the South Korean warmongers must ponder over
catastrophic consequences that will arise from their reckless war provocation
maneuvers, and immediately quit the provocative Ulchi Freedom Guardian joint
military exercise and arms buildup maneuvers.” (Korean Central Broadcasting
Station – 07/18/2008)

“Together with the United States, the puppet warmongers are attempting to push
ahead with a large-scale joint military exercise dubbed "Ulchi Freedom Guardian"
from 18 August…This war exercise, which changed the signboard of the "Ulchi
Focus Lens" joint military exercise that has been staged each year from the mid-
1970s until last year, is a very provocative and risky game of a war of northward
aggression carried out against our Republic.” (Rodong Sinmun – 07/23/2008)

“…and it announced that the US force would stage "Ulchi-Freedom Guardian"

joint military exercise in South Korea from mid August against our Republic. All
these ominous moves clearly show that "dialogue" and "negotiations" – which the
US imperialists are raving about lately – are nothing but a veil to conceal their
belligerent nature and that they are expediting preparations for a war behind the
2

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United States Forces Korea J2 Korea Open Source Digest Supplemental

scenes to carry out a preemptive strike on our Republic.” (Minju Joson –

07/31/2008)

“Currently, the US imperialists have drafted an adventurous plan of preemptive

nuclear attack of northward aggression and war scenarios according to various
circumstances, such as "Operations Plan 5027-04" and "Operations 5030."…
These exercises are no different, even a bit, from the existing joint military
exercises aiming at northward aggression in terms of scale and aggressive
character, although the titles have been changed…” (Rodong Sinmun –
03/12/2008)

“The US imperialist forces of aggression occupying South Korea are the root
cause of nuclear war, the ROK-US alliance is a war alliance, and the US-South
Korea joint military exercises are a nuclear test war and a preliminary war for
invading our Republic.” (Korean Central Broadcasting Station – 04/23/2008)

ƒ NK media’s characterization of the ROK-US combined military exercises as an act of

provocation and northward aggression remains consistent.

“The joint military exercises for northward aggression cannot be justified with any
reason. …it should unconditionally stop the reckless joint military exercises for
northward aggression.” (Rodong Sinmun – 01/02/2008)

“The fact that the South Korean puppets are following the United States' such
maneuvers for provoking a war of northward aggression is indeed an atrocious
anti-national crime…” (Korean Central Broadcasting Station – 04/23/2008)

“…firmly denounces, in the name of the entire nation, the United States and the
South Korean puppet warmongers that are driving the situation toward a phase
of confrontation and nuclear war with the frantic racket of war exercise for a
northward aggression.” (Korean Central Broadcasting Station – 07/18/2008)

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United States Forces Korea J2 Korea Open Source Digest Supplemental

Cited Sources:
1. DPRK Organ Assails ROK, US 'Confrontation' Concept, Changing Military Exercise Names,
Rodong Sinmun, 2 January 2008
2. DPRK Central Radio Program Review for 23 Feb 08, Korean Central Broadcasting Station,
22 – 23 February 2008
3. DPRK Party Organ Decries US 'War Exercise Commotion' in ROK, Rodong Sinmun, 12
March 2008
4. DPRK Committee on ROK Support for US Attempt at Northward Aggression, Korean Central
Broadcasting Station, 23 April 2008
5. DPRK Committee Criticizes ROK-US Ulchi Freedom Guardian Joint Exercise, Korean
Central Broadcasting Station, 18 July 2008
6. DPRK Party Organ Decries ROK for Military Cooperation With 'Outside Forces', Rodong
Sinmun, 23 July 2008
7. DPRK Paper in Overview of International Situation Decries US, Japan for Military Moves,
Minju Joson, 31 July 2008

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