South Korea on Monday expressed hopes for resumption of diplomacy between the US and North Korea to ease animosities on the Korean Peninsula, as US President Donald Trump’s order to cut military exercises with South Korea caused concerns it might hurt the allies’ readiness against North Korean threats.
Trump and others in his administration also have railed against NATO allies over a perceived lack of support for his war against Iran, even as they seek to confront an increasingly aggressive Russia in the Baltic region. The trust many South Koreans have in the US has eroded following a tariff war instigated by Trump’s administration and his transactional approach to security.
Trump said in a social media post that the exercises are not only costly but “send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile” to North Korea, which he said “has been unthreatening and respectful” during his time in the White House. Trump instructed Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to “substantially reduce” the exercises. He added that he recently asked President Lee Jae Myung if South Korea would join the US in the “denuclearisation” of Iran, “and they said, ‘No thanks!'” Trump’s move is the latest example of the American president appearing to turn against an ally in favor of a leader cast by previous administrations as an adversary.
An Iran angle at play Donald Trump has ordered a major reduction in the annual US-South Korea military drills, a day after sharing a throwback photo with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
The office of South Korea’s president said later Monday that the government hopes “friendly relationship” between Trump and Kim would lead to “meaningful dialogue” between the US and North Korea and start discussions on promoting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. It said that South Korea will make necessary diplomatic efforts for that. South Korea and the US are closely discussing practical and military contributions that can be made to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, according to South Korea’s presidential office. We “get along GREAT”, the US president said at the time. Earlier reporting noted: Trump said on Monday that the military exercises were “inappropriate and hostile” and ordered US war secretary Pete Hegseth to “substantially reduce” them. He said he was unhappy that the US had agreed to take part in the drills despite his “very good relationship” with Kim. Earlier reporting noted: He also brought Iran into the discussion and said South Korea declined to join US efforts aimed at the “Denuclearization of the Islamic Republic of Iran”.
Earlier reporting noted: Trump cuts South Korea military drills after ‘GREAT’ Kim Jong Un post.
