During a press conference in Seoul, Winter stated that North Korea's involvement in Russia's war against Ukraine serves as a reminder to the entire West of the global nature of security threats. "We are well aware that North Korea has used this situation as an opportunity to test a number of its ballistic missile systems and that it has gained modern combat experience," he said. Ahead of the annual joint exercises of the US and South Korea, Ulchi Freedom Shield, which will begin on August 17, Winter emphasized that the experience gained by Pyongyang as a result of its alliance with Russia will be a key aspect of this year's exercises. "We have ensured that the response measures to the threats we seek to counter in defending South Korea reflect a broader use of these technologies and an understanding that North Korea possesses modern combat experience," he stated.
