Seoul: South Korea announced on Tuesday that it is in 'close' consultation with the United States after President Donald Trump directed the Pentagon to 'substantially reduce' the scale of joint military exercises with Seoul. 'Based on the strong South Korea-US alliance, our government has been continuing coordination with the US side on combined exercises and drills between South Korea and the US,' South Korean National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac stated.
According to Anadolu Agency, Wi Sung-lac emphasized that both countries will 'continue such coordination in the future.' His comments came after Trump instructed US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to decrease the scale of Ulchi Freedom Shield, an annual joint military exercise that began on Monday and is set to continue through August 27. Trump justified his decision by citing his rapport with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who has consistently criticized these military drills as potential war preparations.
Trump, who met with Kim three times during his first term, noted that Kim had responded positively to his request for talks. In the wake of Trump's directive, Gen. Xavier Brunson, the commander of US forces stationed in South Korea, visited the country's Defense Ministry on Tuesday. He reportedly held discussions with South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back in Seoul, although no specific details about the meeting were available at the time of publication.
On Monday, Trump pointed out the presence of 39,000 US troops in South Korea while expressing discontent over Seoul's lack of support for Washington's military operations against Iran. 'We have 39,000 soldiers over there guarding you (South Korea) from Kim Jong Un, your next-door neighbor, and you're not going to help us on a very easy military operation in Iran? That's strange,' Trump remarked.
In response, Wi Sung-lac noted that Seoul has been 'reviewing options for making practical contributions to such efforts, taking into consideration the country's defense posture on the Korean Peninsula and relevant domestic legal procedures.' He added that South Korea has been 'actively participating in international discussions aimed at ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz from the start, as well as global non-proliferation efforts.'