{
  "id": 1696833,
  "title": "한-미 야외기동훈련 일부 축소·조정될 듯",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/story-1696833",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-18T09:32:49.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hankyoreh",
    "slug": "hankyoreh",
    "url": "https://www.hani.co.kr/arti/politics/defense/1273481.html"
  },
  "original_language": "ko",
  "account": "The U.S.-South Korea joint military exercise 'UFS' (Uesugi Freedom of the Defense Shield) has been shortened to half its original length due to a directive from U.S. President Donald Trump. A high-ranking U.S. official confirmed to the Korean newspaper \"Hankyoreh\" that the decision was made following President Trump's instructions. The exercise, which was initially planned from July 17 to July 27, will now only last until July 21. The shortened schedule means that the initial defensive operation will be conducted, while the subsequent counterattack operation scheduled for July 23-27 is canceled. Outdoor tactical training is also expected to be largely cancelled. This joint exercise simulates a wartime scenario on the Korean Peninsula using computer simulations and does not involve actual troops or equipment. It includes various types of outdoor tactical training, with 14 large-scale joint training sessions planned between the two countries. However, some of these training sessions are expected to be cancelled or conducted solely by the South Korean military. Earlier in the day, Joint Chiefs of Staff General James \"Jay\" Bruno visited the Ministry of National Defense to meet with Defense Minister Kyung Whan. During their 20-minute meeting, the two discussed the reduction in outdoor tactical training (FTX) as part of 'UFS'. Upon leaving the Ministry of National Defense, General Bruno was asked by reporters about his reason for the visit. He responded, \"Have you not been looking at President Trump's social media (SNS)? I came here to discuss this.\" Trump had instructed Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper to significantly reduce the scale of the U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises on June 16. The U.S. Department of Defense, unaware of the training reduction order, expressed its intention to actively comply with the directive the following day, July 17. After the training began, there were reports of the joint command center in Seongnam, Gyeonggi moving from the Sihee (CP) Tango to Humphries Camp in Pyeongtaek, and then back to Sihee Tango. The National Security Agency of South Korea stated during a meeting with journalists at the Blue House that the government is strengthening its ability to respond to security threats while maintaining a firm U.S.-South Korea alliance, continuing to coordinate with the U.S. on joint military exercises. Trump claimed in June that the exercises were costly and that the U.S. should bear a larger portion of the burden. However, the original cost of the joint exercises is usually borne by the U.S., with an annual estimate ranging from $800 billion to $900 billion. South Korea is estimated to contribute around $200 billion, while the U.S. is expected to spend about $700 billion on the Strategic Posture Exercise in the Korean Peninsula.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}