WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Donald Trump announced he wants to reduce joint military exercises with South Korea because he said it sends a hostile signal to North Korea. Foreign relations experts worry this further strains our decades long relationship with South Korea. We’re told this exercise, Ulchi Freedom Shield, is seen as an important exercise as North Korea has expanded their nuclear arsenal over the year.
In a Truth Social post, President Trump said the exercise sends “a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile, to a county that, as long as Donald J. Trump has been president, has been unthreatening and respectful,” referring to North Korea and it’s leader.
“This exercise, Ulchi Freedom Shield, which is an annual exercise in South Korea and UN command is taking place so its particularly important to be sending a message of reassurance to South Korea and other Asian allies and the President’s message to me is counter-productive in that regard,” said Paul Fritch, a former career diplomat and former Senior NATO Executive.
Fritch said the President’s comments are concerning for the current situation in Korea and in the Asia Pacific region.
“We’re currently looking at a frankly, a depleted US military deterrent as a result of the war in Iran,” said Fritch. “We’ve had to redeploy air defense radars from South Korea to the Persian Gulf to replace equipment that was damaged early in the conflict. We’ve depleted key stocks of missile interceptors which obviously our friends in South Korea are quite concerned about.”
In the Truth Social post, the President said he has a “very good relationship with Kim Jong Un,” the North Korean leader. Experts worry about the President’s language in the social media post undermines the message that is meant to send to US adversaries.
“I’m concerned about the signal it sends to Iran and to other US adversaries,” said Fritch. “Perhaps if you can arrange a couple of hour-long photo ops with Donald Trump and send him some letters in which you say some flattering things, then maybe there’s some give on the position that your country cannot have a nuclear weapon under any circumstances.”
The President also said that he asked the South Korean President to join the US in the war with Iran and South Korea declined.
