South Korea says US cancelled upcoming joint marine exercises over Iran war | Donald Trump News
U.S. Cancels Large Joint Amphibious Exercise Amid Ongoing Conflict in the Middle East
South Korea reported that the United States has canceled a significant joint amphibious landing exercise scheduled for next month, citing resource limitations resulting from the ongoing U.S.-Israel conflict involving Iran.
Han Seung-jeon, a spokesperson for the South Korean Marine Corps, confirmed during a news briefing on Monday that the U.S. Marine Corps had notified their forces in June about restrictions on deploying personnel for this year’s Ssangyong exercise.
The biennial Ssangyong drills, which typically involve marine forces from both South Korea and the U.S., are designed to enhance cooperative operations, including rehearsals of amphibious landings with warships, aircraft, and ground troops.
Despite the cancellation of the exercise, officials in Seoul and Washington are still in discussions regarding the potential resumption of the amphibious drills, although specific details were not disclosed. The Pentagon has not issued a comment on the matter.
The cancellation follows President Donald Trump’s unexpected order last week to downscale another joint military exercise, the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield drills, which were reduced from 11 days to five due to financial considerations and South Korea’s refusal to participate in operations concerning the Middle East conflict.
In remarks shared on his Truth Social platform, Trump criticized the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises as “totally inappropriate and hostile,” stating that North Korea had been “unthreatening and respectful” during his presidency.
Despite the scaling back of these military drills, North Korea launched 10 short-range ballistic missiles last week and issued statements condemning the joint exercises. The North has a history of viewing such military activities as preparations for invasion.
Trump also emphasized the importance of maintaining a cooperative relationship with North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong Un, who, according to the president, now possesses 57 “very powerful” nuclear weapons. In contrast, South Korean estimates suggest that North Korea has between 80 and 120 nuclear warheads.
The U.S. president previously met with Kim three times during his first term, although efforts to negotiate North Korea’s denuclearization stalled after their second summit in Hanoi in 2019 ended without an agreement.
