US, South Korean militaries wrapping up drills early, a day after North Korea’s missile barrage
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The U.S. and South Korean militaries were wrapping up their annual drills six days earlier than initially scheduled on Friday in…
The U.S. and South Korean militaries concluded their annual drills, Ulchi Freedom Shield, approximately a day earlier than planned on Friday, in a gesture toward North Korea, according to reports from Seoul. Despite the early completion, North Korea dismissed the step as insufficient to entice it back to diplomatic talks.
U.S. President Donald Trump had initiated the premature shutdown of the drills on Monday, citing a robust relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea's reluctance to support him over the Iran war. However, Kim Yo Jong, Kim Jong Un’s sister and a powerful North Korean figure, rejected Trump’s overture on Wednesday, stating that the drills’ "provocative, aggressive nature" would not change simply due to their reduction in size or duration.
In response to the U.S.-South Korean drills, North Korea launched around ten short-range ballistic missiles towards the sea, seemingly in fulfillment of a previous threat to respond to what it perceives as an invasion rehearsal. The U.S. Pacific Command deemed the missile launches not immediately threatening to U.S. territory or its allies, but emphasized that the U.S. remains committed to the defense of its homeland and regional allies.
The development undeniably dampened hopes for a swift resumption of talks between Trump and Kim Jong Un, whose previous nuclear diplomacy had stalled in 2019. Kim Jong Un has leveraged the diplomatic lull to bolster his position by advancing his nuclear and missile capabilities and aligning with Russia in its conflict with Ukraine. In 2023, Kim Jong Un indicated that he would not return to negotiations unless the U.S. abandoned its demand for North Korean denuclearization as a precondition for dialogue.
Kim Yo Jong’s measured response, devoid of typical North Korean harsh rhetoric, hinted that North Korea was not entirely closing the door to future talks. She alluded to an "excellent" relationship between her brother and Trump, suggesting that North Korea might pursue more substantial U.S. concessions, such as international recognition as a nuclear state and significant sanctions relief, in the future.
Written by urgent.news from Associated Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
