Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea, citing his “very good” relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

In a post on Truth Social, Mr Trump said he was “not happy” the US is participating in the upcoming drills with South Korea, which he said declined to help denuclearise Iran.

“Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un, of North Korea, I am not happy with the fact that the United States has, long ago, agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea. These exercises are not only costly, with much of these costs paid for by the United States of America (as usual!), but send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile, to a Country that, as long as Donald J. Trump has been President, has been unthreatening and respectful,” he wrote in the post.

“Therefore, and based on the fact that it is too late to cancel, I have instructed Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to substantially reduce the Joint Military Exercises!”

“While somewhat unrelated (?), I recently asked the President of South Korea if they would like to join us in the Denuclearization of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and they said, ‘No thanks!’ Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

The nations’ annual joint military exercise “Ulchi Freedom Shield” is scheduled to start on August 17 and run for 11 days.

About 18,000 South Korean military personnel are expected to participate in the drills, which the US and South Korean Combined Forces Command said will focus more heavily on drone warfare, GPS disruption and the role of cyber attacks.

https://www.news.com.au/world/north-america/us-politics/us-politics-iran-war-liv...

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung proposed official talks with North Korea to replace the 1953 armistice with a permanent peace treaty.
Announced during an address for Liberation Day, marking the anniversary of the peninsula's liberation from Japanese rule.