South Korean soldiers with 20mm vulcan cannon take part in an anti-drone drill in Yangju, South Korea, in this handout picture provided by the South Korean Defence Ministry on December 29, 2022. The South Korean Defence Ministry/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSEOUL, Aug 23 (Reuters) - South Korea is set to hold its first nationwide air defence drills in six years on Wednesday amid North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threats, with pedestrians required to take shelter and drivers asked to pull over in some areas. The drills are a key element of the annual Ulchi civil defence exercises, held alongside the Ulchi Freedom Shield drills, which South Korean and U.S. troops began on Monday, to improve responses to a North Korean attack or other contingencies. The Ulchi civil defence exercises were launched in 1969 in the wake of a raid by North Korean commandos into the presidential compound in Seoul. But the air defence training has not taken place since 2017.

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Persons: Hyonhee Shin, Gerry Doyle Organizations: South Korean Defence Ministry, REUTERS, Rights, South Korean, North Korean, Thomson Locations: Yangju, South Korea, Rights SEOUL, U.S, Korean, Seoul, North Korea