South Korea says US cancels joint marine drill over Iran war

South Korea announced on Monday that the United States had canceled a major joint amphibious landing exercise, known as Ssangyong drills, scheduled for the following month. This decision was attributed to limitations on force availability resulting from the ongoing war with Iran. The biennial Ssangyong drills bring together South Korean and US marine forces to practice combined operations, typically involving warships, aircraft, and ground forces conducting amphibious landings.

The cancellation occurred after US President Donald Trump issued an order last week to reduce the size of the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, shortening them from 11 days to just five. Trump's decision was based on the high costs of the drills and their perceived negative impact on relations with North Korea, despite his close ties with its leader, Kim Jong Un.

South Korean Marine Corps spokesperson Han Seung-jeon informed reporters that the US Marine Corps had formally notified Korean forces in June of their constrained deployment capabilities due to the Middle East situation. Despite ongoing consultations between Seoul and Washington regarding the resumption of the amphibious exercise, the Pentagon has not yet provided a response to inquiries regarding Seoul's announcement.