The scale of joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises will be significantly reduced. U.S. President Donald Trump gave this directive to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegset, according to a post by Trump himself published on the social media platform Truth Social on Sunday, August 16.
According to the White House, given his “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, he is not pleased that the United States agreed to participate in these exercises. ““These exercises are not only expensive—with the U.S. bearing the bulk of the costs (as usual!)—but they also send a completely inappropriate and hostile signal to a country that, as long as Donald Trump has been president, has posed no threat and has behaved respectfully,” he wrote, referring to North Korea.
At the same time, Trump recalled Seoul’s refusal to support Washington in a U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.
The U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises, Ulchi Freedom Shield
As the AFP news agency notes, the U.S. has been South Korea’s most important ally for many years, with 28,500 American troops stationed there. According to official data, the main objective of the 11-day military exercises known as Ulchi Freedom Shield, which are scheduled to begin on August 17, is to prepare for a possible attack by North Korea.
Following the Korean War, a ceasefire agreement was signed in 1953; however, a peace treaty between the Republic of Korea and North Korea has not yet been concluded. Since taking office last year, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has been trying to bring Seoul and Pyongyang closer together. On August 15, he proposed to the DPRK authorities that they hold peace talks; however, no response had been received as of the time of publication, according to dw.com.
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