US, South Korea to cut length, scope of military drills after Trump order

South Korea and the United States have agreed to shorten and scale back their annual joint military drills, following President Donald Trump's order to reduce U.S. participation. The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, which originally ran from August 17 to August 27, will now last only five days from August 17 to August 21. South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back confirmed that the allies are cancelling the second phase of the drills, which were expected to involve counterattack operations.

The change in duration and scope was the result of partial adjustments suggested by the United States. Some combined field manoeuvre training will also be reduced, though the specifics are still being discussed. The U.S. Department of Defense stated that the exercise and associated live-training events have been substantially reduced, with some cancelled or switched to simulations.

The alterations aim to maintain essential readiness and training goals without compromising U.S. objectives. These changes come as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visits South Korea for regional security talks, expected to cover developments on the Korean peninsula. North Korea has once again denounced the drills, calling the United States and South Korea "warmongers" and raising tension on the peninsula.

North Korea's stance may signal an effort to maintain room for diplomacy, according to a researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification. Trump has reportedly been attempting to arrange an in-person meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as soon as this autumn, though the White House has not commented on its approach to North Korea or the military exercises.