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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

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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

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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.” 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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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

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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)

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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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