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President Trump orders substantial reduction in military drills with South Korea to improve ties with North Korea

The administration announced a substantial scaling back of the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield military drills with South Korea. President Trump ordered Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to reduce the exercises, citing a very good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and a desire to avoid sending a hostile signal to a respectful North Korea. President Trump noted that the drills are costly and expressed disappointment that South Korea did not join the United States in the denuclearization of the Islamic Republic of Iran. While the administration maintains that the drills are defensive, some analysts argue that scaling them back may lower coalition readiness and put US forces at risk. Critics also point out that North Korea has continued to bolster its nuclear arsenal and provide support to Russia in the war on Ukraine. The move reflects President Trump's 'America First' approach, which often involves berating allies for not sharing enough of the burden of defense. South Korea's presidential office expects the friendly relations between the leaders of the US and North Korea will lead to meaningful bilateral talks on peace on the Korean Peninsula.

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