SEOUL, South Korea (AP) 鈥� South Korea on Monday expressed hopes for resumption of diplomacy between the U.S. and North Korea to ease animosities on the Korean Peninsula, as U.S. President order to with South Korea caused concerns it might hurt the allies’ readiness against North Korean threats.
Trump cited his good relationship with North Korean leader for the decision, a likely bid to reengage with Kim, who views U.S.-South Korean military exercises as invasion rehearsals. But experts say the North Korean leader, now emboldened by his and expanding military cooperation with , won鈥檛 likely return to talks unless he is assured of serious U.S. concessions.
The 11-day, summertime exercises began Monday morning as scheduled and it wasn鈥檛 known which parts of the training were being downsized. Trump’s announcement baffled many in South Korea, a key U.S. ally in Asia where national security is a top priority due to threats from nuclear-armed North Korea.
Trump orders military to 鈥榮ubstantially reduce鈥� drills
Trump said in a social media post that the exercises are not only costly but 鈥渟end a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile鈥� to North Korea, which he said 鈥渉as been unthreatening and respectful鈥� during his time in the White House.
Trump instructed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to 鈥渟ubstantially reduce鈥� the exercises. He added that he recently asked President Lee Jae Myung if South Korea would join the U.S. in the 鈥渄enuclearization鈥� of Iran, 鈥渁nd they said, 鈥楴o thanks!鈥欌��
Trump鈥檚 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. Trump and others in his administration also have railed against over a perceived lack of support for his , even as they seek to confront an increasingly aggressive Russia in the Baltic region.
The trust many South Koreans have in the U.S. has eroded following a tariff war instigated by Trump鈥檚 administration and his to security.
South Korea hopes for talks between US and North Korea
The office of South Korea’s president said later Monday that the government hopes 鈥渇riendly relationship鈥� between Trump and Kim would lead to 鈥渕eaningful dialogue鈥� between the U.S. 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 U.S. are closely discussing practical and military contributions that can be made to restore freedom of navigation in the , according to South Korea’s presidential office.
Lee is a liberal who espouses improved ties with North Korea. Since taking office last year, his government has taken proactive steps to improve ties with North Korea, including turning off front line that blared K-pop music and world news. On Saturday, Lee offered to hold talks to formally end the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.
The conservative People Power Party, the main opposition party, lambasted Lee for allegedly 鈥渢urning a blind eye on the public’s security concerns鈥� caused by Trump’s announcement and prioritizing hopes for U.S.-North Korea diplomacy.
North Korea has shunned any talks with South Korea and the U.S. and accelerated weapons testing activities since Kim’s high-stakes with Trump broke down in 2019. Kim also has bolstered his diplomatic credentials by aligning with Russia over its and taking steps to deepen cooperation with China.
In September 2025, Kim suggested he could resume talks with the American president if the U.S. drops 鈥渋ts delusional obsession with denuclearization鈥� of North Korea. Experts say Kim likely aims to use his enlarged nuclear arsenal to win major concessions like extensive sanctions relief.
鈥淭rump鈥檚 recent social media posts about Kim Jong Un suggest a willingness to reengage, but North Korea is busy profiting from Russia鈥檚 war against Ukraine while modernizing its own military,鈥� said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul.
Downsizing the U.S. and South Korean drills 鈥渃an damage alliance coordination, slow the process of South Korea taking on greater responsibility for its own defense, and weaken deterrence against possible conflicts in Asia,鈥� Easley said.
Duyeon Kim, a senior analyst at Washington鈥檚 Center for a New American Security, said 鈥渞educing joint drills weakens military readiness over time against another potential North Korean attack.鈥�
Military drills test tactics and anger North Korea
South Korea’s military earlier said the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises this year would be similar to previous years in scale, with about 18,000 South Korean soldiers taking part.
The U.S. military said the drills would incorporate lessens from recent conflicts such as North Korea’s in the Russia-Ukraine front, while including a live-fire exercise to test joint precision targeting and maneuver, a wet gap crossing and distribution of prepositioned military equipment.
North Korea’s Foreign Ministry on Friday accused the U.S. and South Korea of plotting more provocative drills this year and vowed to respond with 鈥渁 new level of a deterrent.鈥� Earlier this month, North Korea fired two into the sea in a likely protest of the drills.
Duyeon Kim, the analyst, said North Korea uses U.S.-South Korean drills 鈥渇or domestic propaganda purposes to create a false narrative of a hostile America and justify its nuclear weapons program.鈥�
This is not the first time Trump has sought to suspend the drills. After his first summit with Kim in 2018, Trump unilaterally announced the suspension of the U.S.-South Korean summertime exercises, calling them 鈥渧ery provocative鈥� and 鈥渢remendously expensive.鈥�
Kim Dong-yub, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, said North Korea feels less urgency to return to talks with the U.S. and South Korea now than when it entered talks with its rivals in 2018, but is unlikely to completely ignore Trump’s overture.
He predicted North Korea will likely say it has noted Trump’s post but will wait for further action showing the U.S. intends to drop hostilities against North Korea.
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