Top headlines in major S. Korean newspapers

On August 19, major South Korean newspapers reported on the scaling back of the joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States, as well as other developments in the region. The Korean-language dailies, such as Kyunghyang Shinmun and Kookmin Daily, highlighted the potential reduction in the duration and scope of the joint drills.

Donga Ilbo and Seoul Shinmun reported on the scaled-down nature of the exercise, with Lee stating that South Korea possesses sufficient defense capabilities. Trump's words were also a topic of discussion, with Segye Times covering his statement about Kim Jong-un responding to his dialogue overture. Other English-language dailies, including Korea Herald and Korea Times, examined the implications of the scaled-back exercise and the potential next steps in the relationship between North and South Korea.

The Chosun Ilbo and Hankyoreh reported on the cancellation of the joint exercise at Trump's direction, while Hankook Ilbo noted that the Trump administration's words were causing security concerns on the Korean Peninsula. Maeil Business Newspaper published an article alleging that CXMT had been stealing Samsung technology since its founding, while Korea Economic Daily discussed the generational divide in South Korean society, with Lee pushing to regain wartime OPCON within his term.