Prime Minister Han Seong-sook speaks at a preparatory briefing for the 2026 Ulchi CPX held at the Government Complex Seoul annex in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Thursday. [Yonhap]
Prime Minister Han Seong-sook speaks at a preparatory briefing for the 2026 Ulchi CPX held at the Government Complex Seoul annex in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on Thursday. [Yonhap]

Prime Minister Han Seong-sook on Thursday directed government agencies to incorporate threats including AI, drones, cyberattacks and compound disasters into this year's Ulchi CPX scenarios, calling for "more realistic and effective training."

Han issued the directive in her opening remarks at a preparatory briefing for the Ulchi CPX held at the Government Complex Seoul, urging officials to make the exercise "an opportunity to raise national emergency preparedness to the next level."

"The Russia-Ukraine war and armed conflict in the Middle East show that modern warfare can threaten not only military operations but also critical national infrastructure and the daily lives of citizens," she said. "New forms of threat — AI, drones and cyberattacks — are also becoming a reality."

Han added that the government's response capabilities in the current security environment must extend beyond support for military operations to encompass maintaining citizens' daily lives and sustaining core state functions. She described the Ulchi CPX as an emergency preparedness exercise designed to assess in advance the country's capacity for national emergency response and total war mobilization.

She also noted that this year's exercise is the first since reorganizations of the government structure and local administrative system. "Each agency should align its emergency response framework with the new organizational setup and verify that it can function without disruption in a real situation," she said.

Han flagged an expected heat wave during the exercise period and instructed officials to conduct thorough advance safety checks and manage on-site safety rigorously to prevent any accidents during training.

She further called for exercises that encourage public participation and urged agency heads to take an active, hands-on role in the drills.

This year's Ulchi CPX will be held nationwide for four days from Aug. 18 to 21.


oskymoon@heraldcorp.com