South Korea says U.S. cancels joint marine drill over Iran war
The U.S. has cancelled a major joint amphibious military exercise with South Korea, citing resource constraints due to ongoing involvement in the war with Iran. This follows President Trump's recent decision to scale back other joint drills to prioritize cost-efficiency and diplomatic relations with North Korea.
Why it matters
The reduction in military readiness and joint exercises signals a significant shift in U.S. defense priorities and regional security posture in the Indo-Pacific amid global conflict.
South Korea said on Monday (August 24, 2026) that the United State s had cancelled a large joint amphibious landing exercise scheduled for next month due to constraints on force availability caused by the war with Iran .
The biennial Ssangyong drills involve marine forces from South Korea and the United States and are designed to strengthen combined operations, typically involving warships, aircraft and ground forces rehearsing amphibious landings.
The cancellation follows U.S. President Donald Trump's order last week to scale down the separate annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, cutting the joint drills from 11 days to five.
Mr. Trump at the time cited their high cost and said they sent an "inappropriate and hostile" signal to North Korea, while highlighting his relationship with its leader, Kim Jong Un.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in