President Donald Trump has announced that the United States could “substantially reduce” its joint military exercises with South Korea, pointing to his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as one reason for the decision.
Trump also criticised South Korea for declining to participate alongside the US in its campaign to “denuclearise” Iran. In a post on Truth Social, he argued that the military exercises are expensive and send what he considers an unnecessarily hostile message to North Korea.
“These exercises are not only costly,” Trump said, noting that the US covers much of the expense, “but send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile.”
South Korean authorities, however, said the planned exercises would continue as scheduled. North Korea has not yet issued an official response to Trump's latest comments.
Trump's remarks came shortly before the annual US-South Korea military exercises were due to begin. He said it was already too late to cancel the drills completely but indicated that future exercises could be significantly reduced.
He also referred to a recent conversation with South Korea's president, saying he had asked whether Seoul wanted to participate in the US effort against Iran's nuclear programme. According to Trump, South Korea declined.
The announcement came less than a day after Trump shared an older photograph of himself with Kim Jong Un from their 2019 meeting. Trump described himself and the North Korean leader as having been “great friends”, despite acknowledging that the photograph showed a less friendly expression.
Experts Warn of Risks to Military Readiness
Security experts have expressed concern that reducing joint US-South Korea military exercises could weaken coordination between the two allies.
Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, said the combined exercises play an important role in maintaining military readiness and ensuring that both countries can respond effectively during a crisis.
He argued that reducing the scale of the exercises could make cooperation between the two militaries more difficult and potentially weaken deterrence against threats in the region.
According to Easley, the financial savings from reducing the drills would likely be relatively small, while the potential diplomatic benefits of doing so with North Korea remain uncertain.
Ulchi Freedom Shield Set to Continue
US and South Korean military officials recently announced the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise. The 11-day training event was expected to remain broadly similar in size to previous years, with approximately 18,000 South Korean troops taking part.
Military officials also highlighted concerns over North Korea's involvement in Russia's war against Ukraine. US military spokesperson Ryan Donald said American and South Korean forces were incorporating the potential threat posed by North Korean troops returning from the conflict into their training.
Around 28,500 US military personnel are currently stationed in South Korea.
North Korea has repeatedly criticised the joint military exercises, describing them as preparations for an attack. Its foreign ministry again condemned the drills on Friday, calling them a rehearsal for an aggressive war.
The exercises also come shortly after South Korea, the US and Japan detected another North Korean ballistic missile launch. Pyongyang has continued expanding its nuclear weapons and missile programmes, particularly since diplomatic negotiations between Kim Jong Un and Trump broke down in 2019.
Trump's Previous Approach to Military Exercises
Trump's latest comments are not the first time he has questioned US-South Korean military exercises.
During his first presidency, he suspended the drills in 2018 while diplomatic discussions with Kim Jong Un were taking place. At the time, Trump described the exercises as provocative and argued that cancelling them would save the United States a considerable amount of money.
The exercises were also reduced in scale in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Analysts had previously suggested that Trump could once again suspend or reduce the size of the joint exercises, and some had even speculated about a possible reduction in the number of American troops stationed in South Korea.
Tensions Between Washington and Seoul
Trump's latest announcement presents a complicated situation for South Korea.
Seoul has repeatedly encouraged Washington to pursue dialogue with North Korea, meaning Trump's renewed focus on Kim Jong Un could potentially create an opportunity for fresh diplomacy.
At the same time, Trump's comments suggest that he remains frustrated with South Korea's reluctance to provide direct military or logistical assistance to US operations involving Iran.
He has voiced similar concerns about other American allies, including Japan, France and the UK, over their limited involvement in the conflict.
Trump has also previously criticised the cost of maintaining American troops in South Korea and questioned whether Washington receives enough in return for its security commitments.
For Seoul, however, the US military presence remains a central part of its national security strategy and its alliance with Washington.
South Korea has attempted to strengthen economic ties with the US, including a commitment earlier this year to invest $350bn in the American economy.
Meanwhile, South Korea's president has proposed discussions with North Korea about formally ending the Korean War, which technically remains unresolved despite the 1953 armistice agreement.
Trump's latest position therefore leaves Seoul facing a delicate balance: maintaining its critical military partnership with Washington while also pursuing the possibility of renewed engagement with Pyongyang.
