South Korea says US cancels joint marine drill over Iran war

South Korea has announced that the United States has cancelled a major joint amphibious landing exercise set to occur next month. This decision comes after the US imposed restrictions on force availability due to ongoing conflicts with Iran. The biennial Ssangyong drills involve South Korean and US marine forces, typically rehearsing amphibious landings with warships, aircraft, and ground troops.

The cancellation follows President Donald Trump's directive last week to reduce the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, shrinking the joint drills from 11 days to five. Trump cited the high cost of these drills and their perceived hostile signal to North Korea, despite Trump's close ties with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The US Marine Corps informed South Korean forces in June that the availability of its forces would be limited during this year's Ssangyong exercise due to the Middle East situation.

Despite this, Seoul and Washington have been in talks to resume the amphibious exercise, though specifics have not been disclosed. The Pentagon has yet to comment on Seoul's announcement.