Pentagon Scales Back Major Training Exercises With South Korea
New York Times · LC · trust 49/100
The move to end the military training a week earlier than scheduled comes after President Trump ordered the Defense Department to reduce joint military exercises with the key U.S. ally.
Listen · 3:44 min Share full article U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopters at Camp Humphreys in South Korea on Monday. An order by President Trump to reduce joint military exercises has heightened fears among Asian allies. Credit... Agence France-Presse — Getty Images By Eric Schmitt and Choe Sang-Hun
Eric Schmitt reported from Washington, and Choe Sang-Hun from Seoul.
The moves came after President Trump on Sunday ordered the Defense Department to reduce joint military exercises with South Korea, a longtime U.S. ally and a linchpin of America’s national security strategy in the Asia-Pacific region.
Mr. Trump’s order was aimed at rekindling talks with Kim Jong-un of North Korea at a time when efforts to resolve the Iran war have hit an impasse, as well as punishing the South Koreans for declining to join in the conflict against Iran, a position that deeply angered Mr. Trump.
In a statement released on Tuesday night, the Pentagon said it was sharply curtailing the 11-day training exercise in South Korea, called Ulchi Freedom Shield, “while continuing training that enhances tactical capability.”
“These adjustments preserve essential readiness and training objectives,” the statement continued. “There will be no degradation to U.S. training objectives.”
Even before the Pentagon’s announcement, Mr. Trump’s order had heightened fears among Asian allies over what the United States is now willing to do to deter China in its territorial ambitions, given the enormous distraction and resource drain of the Iran war. The United States is running low on crucial weapons and has been moving military resources from Asia to the Middle East.
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