‘UFS 축소’ 트럼프, 북한에 ‘대화 원해’ 구체적 신호…김정은의 대답은?

Donald Trump, the US President, ordered a "massive reduction" in the "UFS self-liberated freedom shield" joint military exercise with South Korea just before its commencement, highlighting his desire for good relations with North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un. Trump, in a social media post on March 16, stated that he has a "very good relationship" with Kim Jong-un and that during his presidency, North Korea demonstrated a "non-threatening and respectful attitude," prompting Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to issue the training reduction order.

The "UFS self-liberated freedom shield" training reduction announcement caused the Council for National Peace to criticize the US for "picking a fight with South Korea." A government official noted that it would be difficult to reduce the training scope due to the upcoming deadline. Trump's move to signal a "friendly relationship" and introduce the "UFS self-liberated freedom shield reduction" as a specific card seems to indicate a desire for a resumption of North-South talks.

However, the possibility of a North Korean response remains uncertain, as experts believe that without discussions on "denuclearization," the likelihood of North Korean cooperation is limited. This transition was further influenced by South Korea and China closely monitoring the situation in the Korean Peninsula.