Washington, 17 August – US President Donald Trump has announced plans to “substantially reduce” joint military exercises with South Korea, citing his “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Trump made the remarks on his Truth Social platform, arguing that the exercises are costly and send an “inappropriate and hostile” signal to North Korea.
He also appeared to express frustration with Seoul over its decision not to join US efforts to “denuclearise” Iran.
South Korea, however, said the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises with the United States would go ahead as scheduled. The 11-day drills began Monday and are expected to involve around 18,000 South Korean troops.
Trump said it was too late to cancel the exercises because they were due to begin within hours of his announcement.
The US and South Korea have maintained a large-scale military presence on the Korean Peninsula as a deterrent against North Korea. Around 28,500 US troops are currently stationed in South Korea.
US and South Korean military leaders said last week that this year’s exercises would be similar in scale to previous drills. They also highlighted the growing threat posed by North Korean troops who have been deployed to support Russia’s war in Ukraine.
North Korea has strongly opposed the exercises, describing them as a rehearsal for an aggressive war. Pyongyang has also conducted a series of ballistic missile tests in recent days despite UN restrictions.
Trump’s latest comments come amid renewed attention to his relationship with Kim Jong Un. On Sunday, Trump shared an old photograph of the two leaders from their 2018 meeting and described them as “great friends”.
Trump previously suspended major US-South Korean military exercises in 2018 during diplomatic negotiations with North Korea. The drills were also scaled back in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has recently proposed talks with North Korea aimed at formally ending the Korean War, which technically remains unresolved following the 1953 armistice.
The latest US announcement could raise questions about the future of military cooperation between Washington and Seoul, particularly as tensions over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes continue.
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