South Korea confirmed this week that its ongoing joint military drills with United States forces would end early, after President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to scale back the exercises.
The annual Ulchi Freedom Shield began Monday. On Wednesday, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that, in response to a U.S. proposal, "the allies agreed to adjust parts of the exercise, including its duration and scale." The drills will now end August 21. Some combined field training exercises will also be reduced, with details still under discussion.
A Pentagon official told ABC News that the exercise had been "substantially reduced" on "direction from the president and secretary of war." The official said the exercise would conclude one week earlier than scheduled and that "associated live-training events have been reduced, with certain events canceled or converted to simulations." The official said there would be "no degradation to U.S. training objectives."
Trump cited his relationship with North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un when he ordered the cutbacks. On Sunday, Trump called the exercises "inappropriate and hostile" toward North Korea. "Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un, of North Korea, I am not happy with the fact that the United States has, long ago, agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea," Trump wrote on his social media platform. "Therefore, and based on the fact that it is too late to cancel, I have instructed Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to substantially reduce the Joint Military Exercises!" he said.
North Korea routinely protests joint U.S.-South Korean exercises. This week, Pyongyang described Ulchi Freedom Shield as an "open threat" to North Korea. Trump described North Korea as having been "unthreatening and respectful" toward the United States during his presidency.
South Korea is a longtime U.S. ally and hosts roughly 28,500 American troops. The U.S. presence on the peninsula has traditionally been intended to prevent a resumption of cross-border hostilities. The Korean War of 1950 to 1953 never officially ended. North Korea tested its first nuclear weapon in 2006 and has since expanded its atomic weapons stockpile despite international condemnation and sanctions.
The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said both countries "will discuss and implement various measures to achieve the objectives of the UFS exercise and maintain a strong combined defense posture" going forward.
