{
  "id": 1768678,
  "title": "South Korea Wants Its Military Back",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/south-korea-wants-its-military-back",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-18T17:53:53.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Mother Jones",
    "slug": "mother-jones",
    "url": "https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/08/south-korea-wants-its-military-back/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has called for his country to regain full control of its military operations from the US, following Donald Trump's decision to reduce joint training drills ahead of North Korean threats. President Lee argued that a strong alliance between the US and South Korea forms a solid foundation for security, and that bolstering their own capabilities enhances their value as an ally. In his announcement, Trump stated that scaling back military training with South Korea was partly due to Lee's reluctance to support the US war effort in Iran. He also mentioned that his move was based on his good relationship with North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un, and that the joint drills with South Korea were inappropriate and hostile to the US.\n\nPresident Lee suggested that Seoul should immediately plan a transfer of control over the Combined Forces Command, which includes both South Korean and US forces. The Korea Times reported that regaining wartime operational control is a key goal of the Lee administration, as South Korea has been attempting to regain complete command over its military for over two decades. The joint training drills with the US are essential for assessing Seoul's readiness to lead the combined forces in the future and symbolize the country's national sovereignty. Meanwhile, President Lee also advocated for rearmament, suggesting that South Korea should accelerate the development of nuclear-powered submarines. This proposal may heighten tensions and provoke further military action from North Korea. Furthermore, several NATO members have increased their spending on military development since Trump's threats to withdraw from the alliance.",
  "summary": "On Tuesday, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung reiterated his calls for the country to retake full control of its military operations from the US following Donald Trump’s order to cut back on annual joint training drills in preparation for North Korean threats two days prior. “A strong alliance makes the foundation of security stronger, […]",
  "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."
}