{"id":2681,"date":"2026-08-18T06:36:51","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T06:36:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=2681"},"modified":"2026-08-18T06:36:51","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T06:36:51","slug":"south-korea-president-stresses-us-alliance-as-many-baffled-by-trump-order-to-cut-exercises","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/topmovingpross.com\/?p=2681","title":{"rendered":"South Korea president stresses US alliance as many baffled by Trump order to cut exercises"},"content":{"rendered":"
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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) \u2014 South Korea\u2019s president said Tuesday a solid alliance with the U.S. strengthens the foundation of national security, as many South Koreans were baffled and concerned about U.S. President Donald Trump\u2019s abrupt order<\/span> to \u201csubstantially reduce\u201d joint military exercises.<\/p>\n

Read more Fear grips children after deadly earthquake in eastern Indonesia leaves thousands displaced<\/a><\/p>\n

Trump made the surprise announcement in a social media post just before U.S. and South Korean soldiers began Monday\u2019s annual Ulchi Freedom Shield<\/span> exercises, which are largely designed to sharpen readiness against North Korean threats. <\/p>\n

Trump cited what he said was good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea\u2019s refusal to join the U.S. war against Iran<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Trump\u2019s move was apparently taken without consultations with South Korea and meant to reach out to Kim, deepening concerns about the reliability of the U.S.-South Korean alliance forged in the turmoil of the 1950-53 Korean War. <\/p>\n

Confidence in the U.S. has already eroded among many South Koreans because of Trump\u2019s tariff war and last year\u2019s immigration raid<\/span> in the U.S. state of Georgia that led to the detainment of hundreds of South Korean workers.<\/p>\n

Trump\u2019s announcement \u201creveals the stark reality of a faltering Korea-U.S. alliance, fueling public anxiety,\u201d South Korea\u2019s Hankook Ilbo newspaper said in an editorial Tuesday. \u201cIt\u2019s absurd that the U.S. appears to treat North Korea more respectfully than its ally South Korea.\u201d<\/p>\n

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South Korean leader calls for solid US alliance<\/h2>\n

In a regular Cabinet meeting, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung stressed the importance of a firm military alliance with the U.S., saying that \u201cnational security will be further strengthened when the alliance is solid.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we build up our strengths, our value and importance as an ally will further grow,\u201d said Lee, a liberal who has called for a stronger, self-reliant<\/span> defense posture. <\/p>\n

It was unclear which parts of the 11-day South Korea-U.S. exercises were being downsized. The South Korean and U.S. militaries earlier said their drills this year would be similar in scale to previous years and incorporate lessens from recent conflicts such as North Korea\u2019s battlefield experiences<\/span> in the Russia-Ukraine front. They also said the drills are defensive in nature.<\/p>\n

North Korea\u2019s Foreign Ministry accused South Korea and the U.S. of plotting more provocative drills<\/span> this year and vowed to respond with \u201ca new level of a deterrent.\u201d <\/p>\n

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Prosects unclear for reengagement between Trump and Kim <\/h2>\n

Kim has shunned any talks with the U.S. and South Korea since his earlier high-profile diplomacy with Trump fell apart in 2019.<\/p>\n

Read more Donor fatigue guts demining in Asia, as active conflicts draw away funding<\/a><\/p>\n

Experts say Kim won\u2019t likely embrace Trump\u2019s overture and return to talks anytime soon unless he is promised bigger U.S. concessions. Kim has boosted his military and diplomatic credentials in recent years by enlarging his nuclear arsenal and aligning with Russia over its war against Ukraine<\/span>. <\/p>\n

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Lee\u2019s presidential office<\/span> on Monday expressed hopes that a \u201cfriendly relationship\u201d between Trump and Kim would lead to \u201cmeaningful dialogue\u201d between their countries to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula. That invited a backlash from the conservative opposition, which criticized Lee\u2019s government for allegedly prioritizing resumption of Kim-Trump diplomacy over security concerns. <\/p>\n

\u201cSouth Korea\u2019s security bulwark is being shaken to its very foundations,\u201d Park Chung-kwon, a spokesperson for the main conservative opposition People Power Party, said in a statement. <\/p>\n

A weakening of the U.S. defense commitment<\/span> could shake South Korea\u2019s national security as it has no nuclear weapons and is under the so-called U.S. \u201cnuclear umbrella\u201d protection, which guarantees a devastating American response in the event of an attack on its ally by nuclear-armed North Korea. The U.S. has about 28,500 troops in South Korea.<\/p>\n

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