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US President Donald Trump has directed the Pentagon to significantly reduce joint military exercises with South Korea, pointing to the financial burden of the operations and Seoul’s decision not to participate in proposed US efforts targeting Iran.
President Trump made the announcement on Sunday through his Truth Social platform, shortly before the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises were due to commence.
He said he was dissatisfied that Washington had agreed to hold the drills and referred to his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
The US president argued that the exercises were expensive and could be viewed by Pyongyang as an unnecessary hostile gesture.
He also questioned the value of conducting them while describing North Korea as having remained relatively restrained toward his administration.
Despite President Trump’s remarks, the exercises began on Monday as planned.
The military operation is expected to continue through August 27, involving approximately 18,000 South Korean troops.
South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed the start of the training, while the presidential Blue House said officials were assessing President Trump’s comments.
Seoul expressed hope that the relationship between President Trump and Kim could eventually create an opportunity for meaningful negotiations and contribute to peace and security on the Korean Peninsula.
The South Korean government also rejected President Trump’s suggestion that President Lee Jae Myung had simply refused to support American efforts concerning Iran.
Officials said discussions were underway regarding possible military assistance, but Seoul was also weighing its readiness to defend the peninsula and the country’s legal requirements.
President Trump has previously criticised the scale and expense of American military commitments in South Korea.
Washington maintains about 28,500 troops there, with the president repeatedly pressing Seoul to contribute more towards defence costs.
North Korea has consistently condemned American-South Korean military activities, portraying them as rehearsals for an attack.
Pyongyang recently launched ballistic missiles from its eastern coastline, adding to concerns surrounding its expanding weapons programme.
Jenny Town, who leads the 38 North programme at the Stimson Center, said President Trump’s latest move could be intended to create an opening for renewed engagement with Pyongyang.
However, she cautioned that the unpredictable manner in which the announcement was made might have limited impact on North Korea.
President Trump and Kim have had a turbulent relationship.
Their exchanges once included threats and personal insults, but the two leaders later held three summits and developed an unusually cordial relationship.
Despite those meetings, negotiations failed to produce an agreement that would halt North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes.
President Trump’s latest remarks also linked the military drills to disagreements with Seoul over Iran.
He said he had asked Lee whether South Korea would support efforts to denuclearise Iran, but claimed the response was negative.
The precise form any reduction in the exercises would take remains uncertain.
In recent years, the training programme has increasingly relied on computer-based simulations involving scenarios such as missile strikes and cyberattacks rather than extensive live-fire activities.
Victor Cha of the Center for Strategic and International Studies suggested that President Trump’s approach could also be connected to North Korea’s growing military cooperation with Russia.
Pyongyang has supplied personnel and weapons in support of Moscow’s war in Ukraine, while US officials say North Korean soldiers involved in the conflict have acquired battlefield experience.
Ukraine has also reported the use of North Korean-produced missiles in Russian attacks, further highlighting the growing military links between Moscow and Pyongyang.
US Lieutenant General Joseph Jarrard recently warned that North Korea had successfully tested intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads to targets across North America.
Beyond military affairs, Washington and Seoul remain divided over financial and commercial matters.
President Trump has demanded greater South Korean contributions towards defence, although a US official previously described Seoul as a model partner that was increasing defence expenditure in line with American regional objectives.
Economic disagreements have added to the strain.
A former Trump administration official said the president was frustrated by what he regarded as Seoul’s reluctance to address American concerns.
The two countries also reached an agreement last year involving reductions in US automobile tariffs in return for a South Korean pledge to invest $350 billion in the American economy.
However, Seoul has yet to provide full details of how the investment commitment will be implemented.
Tensions have also emerged around Coupang, a US-listed online retailer facing a South Korean investigation following a major customer data breach.
The latest dispute over military exercises therefore comes amid wider disagreements involving defence spending, Iran, trade and investment, while President Trump continues to signal interest in reopening diplomatic engagement with North Korea.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong