This week the United States, together with South Korea and Japan, is conducting in East Asia a prolonged, advanced air-and-sea training exercise named Freedom Edge 2025. The maneuvers take place near the southern coast of Jeju Island and serve as a response to the growing missile and nuclear threats from North Korea and the broader instability in the region within the US-led coalition.
According to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, the exercises are aimed at strengthening defensive capabilities in cooperation among the participating countries and at supporting peace and stability in the region. U.S. Indo-Pacific Command also noted that the program would help improve ballistic missile defense systems in close coordination among Washington, Seoul, and Tokyo and would be the “most advanced demonstration of trilateral defense cooperation to date” without disclosing details.
The five-day Freedom Edge exercises run in parallel with the large-scale bilateral Resolute Dragon exercises between the U.S. and Japan, during which long-range missile launchers capable of striking the mainland of China are employed. Although the exercises were planned in advance, they take place in the context of recent talks by the leaders of China, Russia, and North Korea, who voiced common positions during a parade in Beijing and demonstrated new types of weapons and the strengthening of the previously agreed-upon solidarity among the three nuclear regimes.
In the context of deepening cooperation with Russia, North Korea’s role as a partner in supporting the war in Ukraine is growing, as Pyongyang and Moscow have signed a mutual defense agreement, and are also increasing the supply of troops and weapons. Experts also believe that North Korea could gain access to Russian missile technologies for further development of its own nuclear program.
In the concluding remarks after the meeting between Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un in Beijing, analysts drew attention to the absence of any mention of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. This is interpreted as a signal that China may not question the legitimacy of North Korea’s nuclear status within the existing framework.
Both Freedom Edge and Resolute Dragon training blocks faced criticism from opponents, highlighting the complexity of regional calculations and the shift in the balance of power. Below are the views of leading analysts on how these exercises are shaping the future security architecture in the Asia-Pacific region.
“Kim, Putin and Xi sent a clear geopolitical signal, appearing shoulder to shoulder at the large military parade on Tiananmen Square. It became a symbol of a shared will to continue growing influence and defend interests in the face of external pressure”
– Leif-Erik Esly, Professor of International Studies at Eva Womans University, Seoul
“Unlike this, trilateral defense exercises among the United States, Japan, and South Korea are less of a political theater and more of practical cooperation”
– Leif-Erik Esly, the same author
“Security cooperation between South Korea and the United States, as well as between the United States, Japan, and South Korea, has existed long before the emergence of economic differences between Seoul and Washington”
– Hon Min, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for National Unity
“The Resolute Dragon exercise sends China an important strategic signal about the depth and breadth of security cooperation between the United States and Japan”
– Robert Ward, Head of the Japan Section at the Institute for Strategic Studies
“This year’s version of the exercises is the largest since they began in 2021”
– Robert Ward
“Given the uncertainty surrounding U.S. trade policy, this has dual significance”
– Robert Ward
While maneuvers near the Korean Peninsula and in Japan draw attention, they are also part of a broader set of actions by the United States in the region. Recent joint exercises with the parties of the Federated Region of South China and the Philippines underscore the coordination of defense efforts in response to rising geopolitical challenges. Additionally, China accused the United States and Britain of provocations during passage through the Taiwan Strait, but Washington disputed these claims, emphasizing the lawful navigational rights in international waters. All these actions send a strong signal to allies about readiness to take joint action in the event of a threat and to strengthen deterrence in the Asia-Pacific region.
Conclusion for Regional Security
Deepening trilateral defense and coordinated allied responses demonstrate a commitment to preserving the balance of power in the region and deterring potential threats from the northern bloc and other actors. In an era of growing technological edge and weapon modernization, such exercises create practical mechanisms for interoperability among the United States, Japan, and South Korea, enhancing their effectiveness in a crisis. Looking ahead, maintaining open dialogue among allies and adapting the defense architecture to new challenges will remain essential.
AloJapan.com