South Korea, US To End Joint Drills A Week Early After Trump's Order
South Korea and the US have decided to end their annual joint military exercises early following an order from President Donald Trump. Trump described the drills as 'inappropriate and hostile' while citing his ongoing diplomatic relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Why it matters
The decision highlights the influence of US presidential policy on long-standing military alliances and regional security dynamics in East Asia.
Annual war games between South Korea and the United States will end nearly a week earlier than planned, Seoul's military said Wednesday, after US President Donald Trump ordered the "inappropriate and hostile" drills scaled back.Trump said on Sunday that he had ordered the Pentagon to curtail the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, a day before they got underway.He cited his good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and said the manouevres, designed to prepare for a possible attack by Pyongyang, were hostile towards a country that had been respectful to him.North Korean state media criticised the drills on Wednesday as a "most immediate and open threat", without mentioning Trump's order.Hours later, Seoul's military said the drills would wrap up on Friday, not on August 27 as originally planned. "We have decided to adjust the UFS exercise period to run from the 17th to the 21st," South Korea's Joint Chiefs…
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