‘Tit for tat’: Why is Trump cosying up to North Korea’s Kim Jong Un again?
The US and South Korea have scaled back joint military exercises, with Seoul saying the drills were cut short at Washington's request. North Korea has dismissed the reduction, saying it doesn't change anything. The move comes as former US President Donald Trump appears to be cosying up to North Korea's Kim Jong Un again.
Listen to Live Briefing
Real-time synthesized voice briefing · Live Feeds Desk
- ✓ The US and South Korea have scaled back joint military exercises.
- ✓ Seoul says the drills were cut short at Washington's request.
- ✓ North Korea has dismissed the reduction, saying it doesn't change anything.
- ✓ Trump has described the US-South Korea exercises as 'insulting' to North Korea's Kim.
What changed
The US and South Korea have agreed to end the joint military drills early, with Seoul saying the decision was made at Washington's request.
Live updates
-
US-South Korea military drills cut short at Trump's request
The US and South Korea have scaled back joint military exercises, with Seoul saying the drills were cut short at Washington's request. North Korea has dismissed the reduction, saying it doesn't change anything. The move comes as former US President Donald Trump appears to be cosying up to North Korea's Kim Jong Un again.
Why it matters
The reduction in military drills has raised concerns about the US commitment to South Korea's security and the potential impact on deterrence against North Korea. The drills are a key part of the US-South Korea alliance, which was established to counter the North Korean threat. Tensions between North Korea and the US have been high in recent years, with North Korea conducting nuclear tests and the US imposing sanctions.
What is confirmed
- The US and South Korea have scaled back joint military exercises.
- Seoul says the drills were cut short at Washington's request.
- North Korea has dismissed the reduction, saying it doesn't change anything.
- Trump has described the US-South Korea exercises as 'insulting' to North Korea's Kim.
Still unconfirmed
- Trump's comments have been seen as a shift in his approach to North Korea.
What to watch next
- The US and South Korea's next steps on military cooperation
- North Korea's response to the reduced drills
- The impact on US-South Korea relations and regional security
confidence 85%Sources used for this update (9)
- CNN — Joint military drills with South Korea cut short at US request, Seoul says
- The Washington Post — Opinion | Trump inverts his own foreign policy mantra
- The New York Times — ‘No Interest’: North Korea Dismisses Reduced U.S. Drills With South Korea
- Al Jazeera — ‘Tit for tat’: Why is Trump cosying up to North Korea’s Kim Jong Un again?
- WSJ — Opinion | Pyongyang’s Threat Rises, With an Assist From Trump
- ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos — US-South Korea military drills to end early after Trump order, Seoul says
- Time Magazine — South Korea Was Given No Notice Before Trump Announced Drill Cut, Foreign Minister Says
- abcnews.com — Trump says US-South Korea exercises are 'insulting' to North Korea's Kim
- KING5.com — North Korea says a U.S. decision to scale back military exercises with South Korea doesn't change anything
Community Sentiment: How do you assess this situation?
Voice your perspective · Real-time aggregated sentiment from the Live Feeds community