South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol called for bolstering readiness against North Korea's "gray zone" provocations and hybrid warfare as South Korea and the United States kicked off their annual joint exercise on Monday. Yoon said during a Cabinet meeting that this year's Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise will focus on integrating the allies' capabilities under various crisis scenarios to deter North Korea's evolving military threats, psychological warfare and cyberattacks. "We must actively seek methods to block division and raise people's resolve to resist," Yoon said. "To maintain national security and raise our war preparedness, we must firmly protect transportation, communication, water, social infrastructure, and critical national facilities," he added. The Ulchi Freedom Shield, set to run until Aug. 29, features computer-simulated war games and field training, while the Seoul government conducts civil defense drills from Monday through Thursday. Source: Qatar News Agency