US, Aug 17 : US President Donald Trump has directed the Pentagon to substantially scale back planned joint military exercises with South Korea, saying the drills could send an unnecessarily hostile message to North Korea.
Trump attributed the decision partly to what he described as his “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. He also criticised South Korea for declining to participate in US efforts aimed at the denuclearisation of Iran.
The exercises, known as Ulchi Freedom Shield, are scheduled to begin this week and are expected to involve about 18,000 South Korean troops. The annual training is designed to strengthen the allies’ ability to respond to security threats and conduct coordinated military operations.
In a social media post, Trump said he was unhappy that Washington had previously committed to the joint exercises, arguing that they were expensive and sent an inappropriate signal to Pyongyang.
He said he had instructed Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to reduce the scale of the drills because preparations had already progressed too far for the exercises to be cancelled entirely.
Seoul declines US request on Iran
Trump also connected his decision to South Korea’s position on Iran.
According to the US president, he recently asked South Korean President Lee Jae Myung whether Seoul would participate in Washington’s efforts to denuclearise Iran. Trump said South Korea declined the proposal.
The reference to Iran adds a new dimension to Washington Seoul relations, with Trump linking the issue to his broader criticism of the costs and purpose of the military exercises.
North Korea has opposed the drills
Joint US-South Korean exercises have repeatedly drawn criticism from Pyongyang, which regards them as preparations for an attack.
North Korea recently described the planned training as a rehearsal for an aggressive war and warned that it could take unspecified countermeasures against Washington and Seoul.
The latest decision also follows renewed concern over North Korea’s missile programme. Earlier this month, South Korea, the United States and Japan detected a short-range ballistic missile launch by Pyongyang, its first reported test since late June.
The exercises include training intended to improve coordination between the allied forces, including complex operational manoeuvres, live-fire activities, precision targeting and other battlefield scenarios.
Trump’s latest move highlights the importance he places on his personal engagement with Kim. During his presidency, he has repeatedly advocated direct dialogue with the North Korean leader while the US and South Korea have maintained their military alliance as a key element of deterrence on the peninsula.
Trump welcomes Saudi-Turkey-Pakistan defence agreement
In a separate development, Trump welcomed a newly signed defence agreement involving Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan, calling it an important step towards stronger security cooperation in the Middle East.
The agreement was signed at a defence summit attended by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Trump described the pact as a “big, bold” move that could strengthen the participating countries’ ability to cooperate on regional security.
Pakistan said the agreement reflects the three nations’ historical links, shared strategic interests and longstanding defence ties.
Under the arrangement, an armed attack against one of the three countries would be treated as an attack against all, signalling a commitment to closer collective security cooperation.