South Korea's annual joint military exercises with the United States have been shortened by six days at Washington's request, the South Korean Ministry of National Defense announced. The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, scheduled for 2026, will now conclude on August 21, six days earlier than its originally planned August 27 end date.
The decision to adjust the timing and scale of the drills came after a proposal from the U.S. side. Sources indicated that the combined field training exercise component will also see a reduction in scale, though specific details are still under discussion. This development follows statements from U.S. President Donald Trump expressing his intent to curtail joint exercises with South Korea, citing his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Trump has publicly criticized the exercises, stating on social media platform Truth Social that they are "costly" and send an "inappropriate and hostile" signal. He also linked the decision to South Korea's refusal to assist in the denuclearization of Iran, noting that the U.S. maintains 39,000 troops in South Korea. He described South Korea's refusal to aid in Iran as "strange."
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun stated at a parliamentary hearing that neither South Korean nor U.S. officials had prior knowledge of President Trump's plans to curtail the exercises. The announcement also comes amid reports that Trump has been pushing his aides to arrange a meeting with Kim Jong Un, potentially during his planned trip to Asia in November for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in China.