South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT said on Tuesday it completed a final check of preparations ahead of the 2026 Ulchi exercise, which runs from Aug. 18 to Aug. 21.

The ministry held a preparation briefing meeting and reviewed drill plans and readiness by each organisation.

The Ulchi exercise is held annually to test the effectiveness of the Chungmu Plan for national emergencies and strengthen national emergency preparedness capabilities.

About 32,000 people will take part in this year's ministry-led exercise, including its headquarters, affiliated and subordinate agencies, and companies designated as key management targets.

The ministry will conduct emergency call-up and wartime transition procedure drills and hold discussions on wartime pending issues. It also plans tabletop drills that assume security threats based on the latest technologies, as well as practical training to respond to GPS jamming and protect key national facilities against drones.

Bae Kyung-hoon (배경훈), deputy prime minister and minister of science and ICT, urged participants to take part fully in the exercise while also paying attention to personal safety to further strengthen national emergency preparedness capabilities.