South Korea and the United States are to have their annual joint military exercises later this month, according to the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command (CFC) Friday.

The two annual exercises -- Foal Eagle and RSOI (Reception, Staging, Onward Movement and Integration) -- are to be held on March 25-31 in South Korea, said a statement of the Public Affairs Office of the CFC.

The exercises will involve South Korean forces and "a number of" US military units assigned on the Korean Peninsula, as well as capability enhancements provided by a relatively small number of US Forces from other place, the statement said.

South Korean Yonhap News Agency quoted sources at the CFC as saying that 3,000 US forces stationed in the Pacific region and unspecific number of South Korean troops will attend the annual military games.

South Korean and US forces have conducted Foal Eagle since 1964 and RSOI since 1994, and the two exercises have been held at the same time since 2002.

(Xinhua News Agency March 10, 2006)