Expert: S. Korea, U.S. need to address fallout from Trump's exercise reduction for 'productive' engagement with Kim

An expert has called for South Korea and the United States to address the political fallout stemming from President Donald Trump's decision to reduce military exercises, which has hindered coordinated efforts against North Korea. Ankit Panda, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, argues in a Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists article that the crisis created by Trump's actions is obstructing a unified strategy with Pyongyang.

Trump's impulsive decision to scale back exercises, aimed at engaging North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, may have garnered more support if it hadn't disrupted the alliance, according to Panda. He urges the U.S. to focus on coexistence with North Korea rather than denuclearization, a stance Kim has rejected since 2022. Panda emphasizes that while Washington and allies can maintain their long-term goal of North Korea's denuclearization, they must first acknowledge the need for a transformation in the regional security environment.

The expert suggests that short-term goals like arms control, tension reduction, and risk management could be more attainable under Trump, as a full denuclearization of North Korea remains unlikely.