United States President Donald Trump has announced plans to “substantially reduce” joint military exercises with South Korea, linking the decision partly to Seoul’s refusal to participate in US-led efforts against Iran.
Trump said the exercises were costly and sent what he described as an “inappropriate and hostile” signal, while also pointing to his “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said South Korea had recently declined a US request to join its efforts aimed at the “denuclearisation” of Iran.
South Korea said it was reviewing Trump’s remarks but indicated that the annual joint military exercises would proceed as scheduled.
Seoul also expressed hopes that improved relations between Washington and Pyongyang could create opportunities for meaningful dialogue.
The development comes as the United States and South Korea prepare for their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, an 11-day military exercise involving about 18,000 South Korean troops.
Trump’s announcement has raised concerns among security experts who argue that reducing the scale of the exercises could weaken military readiness and deterrence on the Korean Peninsula.
Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, said the combined exercises were essential to ensuring that US and South Korean forces remained prepared to respond to potential threats.
He warned that scaling back the drills could affect alliance coordination, delay efforts by South Korea to assume greater responsibility for its defence and weaken deterrence against possible conflicts in Asia.
The latest development also comes amid renewed tensions surrounding North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes. Pyongyang has conducted ballistic missile tests this month despite United Nations restrictions and has condemned the US-South Korea exercises as preparations for an aggressive war.
The United States maintains about 28,500 military personnel in South Korea as part of its long-standing security alliance with Seoul.
Trump’s position is not entirely new. During his first term, he suspended US-South Korea military exercises in 2018 while pursuing diplomatic engagement with Kim Jong Un. The exercises were subsequently scaled back during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trump has repeatedly complained about the cost of maintaining US forces in South Korea and has questioned whether Washington receives sufficient benefits from the security arrangement.
For Seoul, however, the latest announcement presents a complicated situation. South Korea has sought greater diplomatic engagement between Washington and Pyongyang, meaning Trump’s renewed emphasis on his relationship with Kim could potentially create an opening for talks.
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At the same time, Trump’s apparent frustration over South Korea’s reluctance to contribute directly to US military operations against Iran could create new tensions within the alliance.
South Korea has recently proposed talks with North Korea aimed at formally ending the Korean War, which technically remains unresolved since the 1953 armistice.
Trump’s latest move therefore places the US-South Korea alliance at a delicate crossroads, balancing military preparedness and regional deterrence against his administration’s broader diplomatic and strategic priorities.
The development could also have wider implications for security calculations across East Asia, particularly as North Korea continues to expand its nuclear and missile capabilities and strengthen its military relationship with Russia.
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