US President Donald Trump has announced a reduction in joint military exercises with South Korea, just as the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield drills were due to get under way on Monday.
The exercises — involving at least eighteen thousand South Korean troops — are designed to strengthen the allies' readiness against an increasingly sophisticated North Korean threat, including drones, GPS disruption and cyberattacks.
President Trump said on Truth Social that he was unhappy with the long-standing arrangement, citing his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Nick Harper reports from Washington.
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Reporter Nick Harper in Washington says reducing the drills could actually embolden Pyongyang by undermining the show of allied strength the exercises are meant to project.
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Nick Harper, our reporter in Washington, says the decision raises questions about whether the US president has a coherent long-term strategy for the Asia-Pacific region.
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