Trump ordered the Pentagon to significantly reduce planned joint military exercises with South Korea on August 17, citing his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as the reason. He simultaneously renewed his demand that Seoul pay $10 billion annually for the privilege of having roughly 28,500 US troops stationed on the Korean Peninsula, nearly seven to nine times the current contribution of $1.1 to $1.47 billion. South Korea responded by saying it would review Trump’s comments while expressing cautious hope that the shift might lead to productive negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang. These joint military exercises have served as a cornerstone of the deterrence strategy against North Korean aggression for decades, and scaling them back could degrade military readiness and coordination between the two armies.
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