The United States has decided to reduce annual military drills with South Korea after relationship with North Korea improved.
According to CNN, President Donald Trump on Sunday, August 16, announced that US will cut military exercises with ally South Korea due to “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
The announcement came hours before US and South Korea military exercises. The US president revealed that one of the reasons behind decision is Seoul’s lack of assistance in the Iran war.
Trump ‘not happy with’ joint military exercises with South Korea
The 80-year-old wrote, “Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un, of North Korea, I am not happy with the fact that the United States has, long ago, agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea.”
“These exercises are not only costly, with much of these costs paid for by the United States of America (as usual!), but send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile, to a Country that, as long as Donald J. Trump has been President, has been unthreatening and respectful,” he added.
South Korea has been a close American ally for over 70 years and the two nations have a mutual defense treaty, primarily designed to protect it from North Korea.
The US and South Korea frequently hold joint military drills and South Korea hosts the largest US military installation overseas, Camp Humphreys, home to tens of thousands of American service members, their families and Korean nationals.
As per Reuters report, Ulchi Freedom Shield, the annual joint exercises, was set to begin Monday and run for 10 days. They were designed to adapt to North Korea’s evolving capabilities and would incorporate training to counter drones, GPS disruption and cyberattacks.
At least 18,000 South Korean troops were set to take part in exercises according to local authorities.
