South Korea said Wednesday that joint military exercises currently underway with the United States were being scaled back after President Donald Trump, citing his “very good” relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, ordered that they be reduced.
\n\nThe surprise comments by Trump, which came hours before the exercises began Monday, have unsettled South Korea, which relies heavily on the U.S. for its security, as well as other U.S. allies in the region facing a growing threat from nuclear-armed North Korea.
\n\nThe annual U.S.-South Korea drills, known as Ulchi Freedom Shield, will now end on Aug. 21 rather than Aug. 27 as originally scheduled, the South Korean Ministry of Defense said.
\n\nTrump orders reduction of joint exercises with South Korea
\n\nThe two allies “have agreed, at the request of the U.S. side, to make some adjustments to the duration and scale of the exercise,” the ministry said in a statement.
\n\nSome of the combined field training exercises will also be conducted on a reduced scale, the ministry said, adding that the U.S. and South Korea “are currently consulting on the specific details.”
\n\nThe ministry also said the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command, a joint war headquarters made up of the…
Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/business