President Lee Jae Myung said Monday that the annual Ulchi civil defense drill is purely defensive and not intended to provoke North Korea or escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

He made the remarks while chairing a full session of the Ulchi National Security Council, stressing that the training is designed to protect citizens and ensure national security in the event of war.

According to presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung, Lee said the drills must serve as a practical rehearsal to safeguard the public, while reiterating that their ultimate goal is to achieve peace on the peninsula.

He also directed that the results be assessed objectively and reflected in next year’s training plans.

The four-day Ulchi drill began Monday, running in parallel with the eleven-day Ulchi Freedom Shield joint exercise between Seoul and Washington.