President Donald Trump announced that the United States will "substantially reduce" joint military exercises with South Korea. Trump cited his "very good relationship" with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as a reason for the decision.
The shift in military posture comes as Trump has expressed frustration with Seoul, specifically over South Korea's refusal to join the U.S. in efforts toward the "denuclearisation" of Iran. The U.S. president's approach to the Korean Peninsula has seen evolving dynamics, with this latest move signaling a change in long-standing military cooperation between the U.S. and South Korea.