South Korea and the United States have shortened their annual joint military exercises by about half following a request from U.S. President Donald Trump, South Korean officials said Wednesday.
The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, which began Monday and were initially scheduled to continue until Aug. 27, will now end Friday. The two allies also agreed to reduce the scale of some field-training activities.
Trump had directed the Pentagon to “substantially reduce” the exercises, citing his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea’s position on the Iran conflict.
The decision has raised concerns among security experts that reducing the drills could weaken the military readiness of the U.S.-South Korean alliance.
The exercises are designed largely around computer simulations and command-post training to strengthen the allies’ ability to respond to a potential North Korean attack. Field exercises are also normally conducted alongside the drills.
North Korea has long condemned the U.S.-South Korean military exercises, describing them as preparations for an invasion. Pyongyang has frequently responded with missile tests. Just days before the latest exercises began, North Korea launched two ballistic missiles into the sea.
South Korean and U.S. officials said they would continue discussing measures to meet the objectives of the exercises and maintain a strong combined defense posture.
Analysts, however, warned that repeated reductions or suspensions could make it more difficult for military commanders to maintain familiarity with joint operational procedures and could eventually affect the strength of the decades-old U.S.-South Korean security alliance.
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