Trump says US scaling back military drills with S Korea
US President Donald Trump has said he ordered the Pentagon to scale back "inappropriate and hostile" military drills with South Korea, hours before the exercises began.
US President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to reduce military drills with South Korea, citing his good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his dissatisfaction with the exercises. South Korea's defence ministry proceeded with the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield, which involves about 18,000 South Korean troops, despite Trump's unhappiness with the drills' cost and perceived hostility.
Trump's Truth Social platform revealed that he asked South Korea if they would join the denuclearization of Iran, to which the South Korean president reportedly declined. The drills, usually focused on combating North Korean troops, will now emphasize drone warfare, GPS disruption, and cyber attacks. North Korea has recently conducted missile launches and provided military support to Russia, while South Korea has offered talks with Pyongyang without preconditions.
However, North Korea has vowed to accelerate its armament build-up, and Kim Jong-un has branded South Korea the "most hostile state."
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