Trump halts US-South Korea drills midway, rattling Seoul
Why it matters: The move fuels fears Washington could cut troops or sideline Seoul as Trump pursues talks with Kim Jong Un.
President Donald Trump ordered the US and South Korea to stop their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise on Friday with only half the program completed, a surprise move that unsettled officials in Seoul. The drill involved 18,000 South Korean troops and forces from 11 other US ally nations. Trump called the exercise costly and hostile to North Korea, while South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun acknowledged Seoul had not known in advance that Washington planned to scale it back. The decision comes as Trump pushes for a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later this year and after Pyongyang launched ballistic missiles toward Japan and fired more missiles on Thursday.