President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday called to firmly defend the nation's freedom and prosperity not by words, but a strong force, on the first day of South Korea and the United States' annual combined Ulchi Freedom Shield(UFS) exercises.

Presiding over a National Security Council(NSC) meeting on the occasion of the UFS exercises to assess the government and military's preparedness and contingency plans, Yoon ordered to secure a readiness posture and response capability against North Korea's provocations.

The president issued the order, emphasizing that the North, while seeking to advance its nuclear and missile capabilities, is threatening South Korea's national security by continuing anti-Seoul propaganda and floating of trash-carrying balloons.

Yoon called to check up on the nation's defense posture from multiple angles and to display the dignity of the firm Seoul-Washington alliance through the latest combined drills.

The ten-day UFS training, scheduled to run through August 29, will be conducted to enhance total war capabilities from the North's provocations, including GPS disruptions, cyber attacks, or dissemination of false information.