South Korea and the United States are shortening their annual joint military exercise and reducing its field training component, according to South Korea's military, as quoted by Yonhap News Agency.
The allies have agreed to conclude the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise on Friday, cutting the scheduled training period nearly in half. The exercise had initially been set to continue from August 17 through August 27, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.
The field exercises, considered a key element of UFS, will also be scaled back. The two militaries are still discussing the specifics of the revised training schedule, the JCS said.
The decision follows President Donald Trump's announcement Sunday that he had ordered a substantial reduction in joint US-South Korean military exercises. Trump cited his "very good relationship" with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
"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. These exercises are not only costly, with much of these costs paid for by the United States of America (as usual!), but send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile, to a Country that, as long as Donald J. Trump has been President, has been unthreatening and respectful," Trump stated in a post published on Truth Social.
"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! While somewhat unrelated (?), I recently asked the President of South Korea if they would like to join us in the Denuclearization of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and they said, 'No thanks!'," the President added.
Trump said Monday that Kim had responded to his outreach. When a reporter asked why the North Korean leader had not replied, Trump responded, “How do you know he hasn’t responded?"
Asked again whether contact had taken place, Trump confirmed, “Um, yeah he has." He described the communication as "very positive" but did not provide further details.
The development comes as Trump is reportedly seeking to revive direct diplomacy with Kim. The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that Trump is urging aides to arrange a meeting with the North Korean leader as soon as this fall.
According to the report, Trump has privately discussed meeting Kim during a planned trip to Asia, potentially in November when world leaders are expected to gather for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen, China.