President Donald Trump (R-NY) ordered a significant reduction of annual joint military exercises between the U.S. and South Korea on May 20, 2018 [1, 2].
The move represents a shift in the traditional security posture on the Korean Peninsula, potentially altering the deterrent strategy used against North Korea.
Trump said the joint military exercises with South Korea are costly and they send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile to North Korea [1]. He said the administration will substantially reduce the joint exercises [3].
Reports on the extent of the reduction vary. Some accounts indicate the exercises were shortened by about half [3]. Other reports suggested a complete stop to the drills [5].
Beyond the diplomatic signal to Pyongyang, Trump linked the decision to other geopolitical tensions. He said South Korea did not assist with denuclearization efforts regarding Iran [4].
Trump said, "I don’t want to send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile" [4]. The president said the cost of the drills contributed to the decision to scale them back [1].
“"The joint military exercises with South Korea are costly and they send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile to North Korea."”
This reduction in military activity signals a transition from a posture of strength and deterrence to one of diplomatic engagement with North Korea. By linking the drills to South Korea's stance on Iran, the administration is also leveraging regional security arrangements to exert pressure on allies regarding separate global non-proliferation goals.
