Citing his “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, President Donald Trump said that the United States will “substantially reduce” joint military drills with South Korea.
On Truth Social, he also mentioned that South Korea has lately refused to work with the United States to “denuclearize” Iran.
In addition to being expensive, with the United States of America covering a large portion of these expenses (as usual!), these drills send a hostile and very wrong message, Trump said.
Trump Comments on South Korea Military Drills and Iran
Seoul stated that it was examining Trump’s remarks and expressed optimism that positive relations between Washington and Pyongyang may result in substantive negotiations. Pyongyang has not yet responded.
South Korea had earlier declared that the exercises with the United States will go “as scheduled.”
It follows North Korea’s ballistic missile launches this month, which were prohibited by the UN.
In his Sunday social media post, Trump claimed that it was “too late to cancel” since the US and South Korea were scheduled to begin their yearly military drills on Monday.
He also stated: “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!'”
Less than a day has passed before Trump shared an old photo of himself and Kim from 2019, stating that the two were close friends “despite the unfriendly look on this particular picture.”
The presidential Blue House of South Korea stated in a statement that it will discuss specifics of joint military exercises with the United States and maintain diplomatic discussions on US-Korea military cooperation over the Strait of Hormuz.
According to experts, withdrawing from joint military exercises might be expensive and have few advantages.
Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, said, “US-South Korea combined defense exercises are essential for military forces to be ready and capable of doing their jobs.”
Experts Alert US-South Korea Drills to Dangers
“Scaling them back can damage alliance coordination, slow the process of South Korea taking on greater responsibility for its own defense, and weaken deterrence against possible conflicts in Asia.
“The diplomatic advantages for ties with North Korea are questionable, and the financial savings from shrinking exercises are negligible.
Ulchi Freedom Shield was announced at a joint news briefing last week by South Korean and American military chiefs.
They said that over 18,000 South Korean soldiers will take part in the 11-day exercise, which would be comparable in size to past years.
North Korea Condemns US South Korea Military Drills
Military officials also brought up North Korea’s force deployment to support Russia’s fight against Ukraine at the press briefing.
Ryan Donald, a spokesman for the US military, stated that “our training accounts for that threat” in reference to North Korean soldiers who had returned from combat. South Korea is home to around 28,500 US military troops.
The combined military exercises were denounced as “a rehearsal for an aggressive war” by North Korea’s foreign ministry on Friday.
The US, Japan, and South Korea discovered the second North Korean missile launch in a few days before to the joint drills.
Since Kim’s high-profile diplomacy with Trump during his first term collapsed in 2019, Pyongyang has stepped up efforts to enhance its nuclear and missile programs.
Trump’s History of Reducing South Korea Military Drills
When he traveled to North Korea seven years ago, he became the first sitting US president to do so.
Trump’s post sends conflicting messages to Seoul. On the one hand, they have been asking Trump to talk to Pyongyang, and the tweet gives them optimism that he may invite Kim back.
However, Trump is also implying that he is dissatisfied with South Korea’s refusal to directly support US conflicts with Iran militarily or logistically.
He has also voiced his discontent with other allies, including as the UK, France, and Japan, over their reluctance to join the fight.
There is precedence for Trump’s decision to reduce joint military drills with South Korea.
Trump and South Korea Face Tensions Over US Troops
During the Covid-19 epidemic in 2020, the workouts were once more reduced.
It was anticipated that President Trump will cut back on the number of US soldiers stationed in Korea or halt joint US-SK exercises.
The president of South Korea suggested this week that negotiations be held with its northern neighbor to formally end their war, which is legally still ongoing since an armistice was signed in 1953.
Trump has previously stated that the United States is giving South Korea protection without receiving anything in return.
He has criticized the amount of money spent and the number of troops stationed on the peninsula.
Washington’s relationship with Seoul, which views the soldiers as essential to its alliance with the US, has become more delicate as a result.
