Trump orders reduction in US–South Korea military drills, cites Kim Jong Un ties

US President Donald Trump has instructed the Pentagon to substantially reduce joint military exercises with South Korea, citing the high costs involved and his "very good relationship" with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The exercises, known as Ulchi Freedom Shield, were set to begin on August 17 and run for 11 days, involving around 18,000 South Korean soldiers.

According to Trump, South Korea had recently declined to join the US in denuclearizing Iran, which he mentioned in a social media post. He described the military exercises as "costly" and said they sent a "totally inappropriate and hostile" signal to North Korea, which he claimed had been "unthreatening and respectful" during his presidency.

The decision to reduce the drills comes after North Korea conducted ballistic missile tests earlier this month, which are banned by the United Nations. Neither Seoul nor Pyongyang has commented on Trump's announcement. The exercises were designed to strengthen readiness against North Korean threats, and included joint operations in complex situations, such as live-fire exercises and distribution of pre-positioned military equipment.

Brief written by urgent.news from Punch, The Age, BBC News, South China Morning Post, Jerusalem Post — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.