The U.S. has included South Korea as one of the participants in an upcoming annual military exercise it leads in the Black Sea region, but the South Korean military does not plan to attend. 

According to the South Korean military on Wednesday, the U.S. recently requested via Ukraine that South Korea take part in the Sea Breeze 21 to be held from next Monday to July 10. 

According to the website of the U.S. Sixth Fleet, this year's iteration marks the largest participation in the drill’s history with 32 countries from six continents scheduled to provide five-thousand troops, 32 ships and 40 aircraft. 

South Korea is listed as one of the participants, along with Japan. 

The South Korean Defense Ministry and the Navy said the South Korean military has been invited, but they have no plans to participate or observe the drill. 

Seoul’s decision was reportedly made out of consideration of the nation’s strategic environment regarding Korean Peninsula issues, including its relations with Russia, as well as the lack of availability and capacity to deploy its ships to the Black Sea. 

Launched in 1997 and led by the U.S. and Ukraine, the multinational exercise is a part of efforts by Washington, North Atlantic Treaty Organization(NATO) allies and regional partners to keep in check Russia’s military expansion in the region.