South Korean broadcaster KBS reported that the scale of joint military manoeuvres between the United States and South Korea was reduced following statements by US President Donald Trump, who characterised them as a "worrying signal" for Pyongyang.
According to the broadcaster, the original plan encompassed two phases of exercises. The first, scheduled between 17 and 21 August, simulated a North Korean attack scenario, while the second, from 23 to 27 August, rehearsed a counter-attack. US and South Korean military personnel held an emergency meeting on 18 August in which they decided to cancel the second phase of the manoeuvres.
A spokesman for the South Korean Ministry of Defence said that following the conclusion of the first phase, US forces would be withdrawn, and that it was agreed to "find a way to conduct the exercises that were not completed due to the reduction in their duration".
Trump previously criticised US participation in the exercises with South Korea, considering them "costly" and arguing that the United States was bearing the greater part of the expenses. The president described the manoeuvres as a "worrying and hostile signal" towards North Korea, which he said "posed no threat" to the United States during his term in office. Trump also posted a satirical image of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on his Truth Social account.
The South Korean Ministry of Defence stated that the joint military exercises with the United States, known as "Ulchi Freedom Shield", would take place as planned. Officials cited by Financial Times expressed that Trump's decision to reduce the scale of the exercises had heightened the concerns of Washington's allies in the region regarding its credibility.
