Trump orders scaled-back US-South Korea drills before 11-day exercise
What's next: Seoul said Ulchi Freedom Shield will proceed as scheduled, even as North Korea steps up missile tests.
President Donald Trump ordered a substantial reduction in joint US-South Korea military drills just before the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise was due to begin Monday. In a Truth Social post, Trump said the exercises were costly and sent a hostile signal to North Korea, citing his relationship with Kim Jong Un. South Korea's defense ministry responded that the 11-day exercise would go ahead as previously scheduled. Military leaders had said about 18,000 South Korean troops would take part. The move comes as North Korea has conducted ballistic missile tests this month and as US and South Korean officials point to Pyongyang's troop deployment to support Russia's war in Ukraine.
Sources
- BBC News (World)Tier 185% reliableRead →Aug 17
- BloombergTier 180% reliableRead →33 hours ago
- CNBCTier 180% reliableRead →23 hours ago
- NPRTier 185% reliableRead →12 hours ago
- ABC NewsTier 275% reliableRead →37 hours ago
- The HillTier 270% reliableRead →35 hours ago
- Channel News AsiaTier 180% reliableRead →Aug 17
- The Straits TimesTier 180% reliableRead →38 hours ago
- CNN IndonesiaTier 180% reliableRead →15 hours ago
- Antara NewsTier 182% reliableRead →2 hours ago
Earlier in this story
- 2 hours agoTrump orders scaled-back US-South Korea drills before 11-day exercisereading now
- 2 hours agoTrump claims Kim answered outreach, new summit eyed late this year