Sunita Somvanshi
The United States and South Korea have shortened their annual joint military exercises after President Donald Trump ordered a reduction, citing his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
The Ulchi Freedom Shield drills, which began on August 17, 2026, had been scheduled to run for 10 days until August 27. Both militaries said the exercise will now end on August 21 at Washington’s request. A Pentagon official said the department had “substantially reduced” the exercise while preserving essential readiness, with some live-training events canceled or moved to computer simulations.
Trump said in a post on Sunday that he had asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to scale back the exercises. He pointed to his “very good relationship” with Kim and said the drills sent a “totally inappropriate and hostile” signal to North Korea. He also cited the cost of the exercises and Seoul’s limited help with the war in Iran.
South Korea’s military said the adjustment came at the United States’ request. President Lee Jae Myung described the drills as defensive rather than intended to raise tension on the peninsula, and said South Korea would keep an “unwavering state of readiness.” About 18,000 South Korean troops had been set to take part.
North Korea’s state media, KCNA, called the exercises “the most immediate and open threat” to Pyongyang and regional security. Pyongyang has long criticised the annual drills.
The United States keeps about 28,500 troops in South Korea, including at Camp Humphreys, its largest overseas base. This year’s exercises were designed to counter drones, GPS disruption and cyberattacks, according to US Forces Korea. Trump has repeatedly questioned the cost and strategic signal of the drills since his first term, often clashing with Seoul over how to share the expense of the US military presence.
The decision has renewed discussion of the cost and message of large-scale US-South Korea exercises.
