Trump Scales Back Korea Drills
Washington requested shorter joint drills as Pacific allies questioned the shift.
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Updated Aug 19, 8:10pm ETEvery side, every morning
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The reporting
The United States and South Korea cut the Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercise from an 11-day schedule to five days, ending it on Aug. 21 instead of Aug. 27 after a U.S. request. South Korea’s defense ministry said the exercise’s “period and scale” were adjusted, and the allies also reduced some field training. President Donald Trump had ordered the Pentagon to scale back the drills, calling them hostile and “insulting” to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Seoul received no advance notice of Trump’s announcement.
Analysis & opinion
Ally ConfidenceLeft & Center
Trump’s cutback of joint military drills with South Korea has undermined Asian allies’ trust in the United States. The move raises doubts about whether Washington can still be counted on to uphold regional security commitments.
North Korea ConcessionCenter & Right
Reducing U.S.-South Korea military exercises is a misguided concession that benefits North Korea. It weakens pressure on Pyongyang and makes the nuclear threat more dangerous rather than encouraging real cooperation.
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