South Korea's Yoon oversees major live-fire drills with U.S

South Korea's Apache AH-64 helicopter fires flares during a South Korea-US joint military drill at Seungjin Fire Training Field in Pocheon, South Korea June 15, 2023. Jung Yeon-je/Pool via REUTERS

SEOUL (Reuters) -Several thousand South Korean and U.S. troops took part in joint live-fire exercises on Thursday, in a show of force after North Korea's failed attempt last month to launch a spy satellite ratcheted up tensions in the region.

The drills, overseen by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, are also being held to mark the 70th anniversary of the alliance between the countries and the 75th anniversary of the founding of the South Korean military, his office said.