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

South Korea and the United States have decided to shorten and reduce the scope of their annual military drills, following President Donald Trump's order. The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, which began on August 17, will now conclude on August 21 instead of the originally planned August 27. This comes as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is visiting South Korea for regional security talks.

North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un's sister, Kim Yo Jong, dismissed the reduction, claiming the exercises remained provocative and aggressive. South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back confirmed that the allies have cancelled the second phase of the drills, which was expected to involve counterattack operations. The US Department of Defense stated that the exercise has been substantially reduced, with some live-training events cancelled or substituted with simulations.

The changes aim to maintain readiness and training objectives without compromising them. President Trump's order was reportedly driven by his personal rapport with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his desire to shift attention away from US challenges in Iran and reopen diplomacy with Pyongyang.