US, South Korea cut drills short after Trump criticism
Annual war games between South Korea and the United States will end around a week earlier than planned, both countries have said.
The annual war games between South Korea and the United States will end one week earlier than planned, both countries announced, following orders from US President Donald Trump. The US leader had instructed the Pentagon to reduce the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, a day before they commenced, citing his positive relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Pyongyang's state media criticized the drills as an immediate and open threat, without acknowledging Trump's intervention. Seoul's military subsequently stated the drills would conclude on Friday, not the originally planned 27 August. The decision to shorten the exercises was made at the suggestion of the US, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The Pentagon assured that the reduced drills would maintain essential readiness without compromising US training objectives. Originally planned to consist of two phases - one focusing on defending against potential North Korean threats and the other on a counteroffensive from 24 to 27 August - the second phase has been scrapped.
North Korea has long denounced the exercises, viewing them as rehearsals for an invasion. Pyongyang has refrained from mentioning Trump's order, reportedly aiming to avoid seeming overly cooperative with the US. A senior North Korean researcher suggested that North Korea was deliberately avoiding Trump's comments to maintain the issue as a potential bargaining point in future talks.
President Trump has claimed ongoing discussions with Kim have been positive, hinting at potential future meetings. The reduction of exercises may facilitate renewed dialogue between the US and North Korea, according to some experts.
Written by urgent.news from RTE News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
