South Korea’s annual joint military exercise with the United States will end six days earlier than originally planned following a request from Washington, according to Seoul’s defence ministry.
The ministry said the “period and scale” of the 2026 Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise had been adjusted following a proposal from the US. The drills will now conclude on August 21 instead of August 27.
The combined field training component will also be partially reduced, although Seoul said specific details of the changes are still being discussed.
The decision comes as US President Donald Trump continues to criticise South Korea for refusing to participate in US action against Iran. Trump said on Wednesday that he also expects to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later this year.
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told a parliamentary hearing that officials in Seoul and Washington had not been informed in advance of Trump’s plans to scale back the exercises.
The unprecedented reduction has also raised questions over Washington’s defence commitment to South Korea, where about 28,500 American military personnel are currently stationed. The move could also attract attention from other US allies in the region, including Japan.
Trump said he continued to have a good relationship with Kim and confirmed his intention to meet the North Korean leader this year, although details of a potential summit have not been announced.
Reports have suggested that one possible venue could be on the sidelines of an economic forum in China in November.
North Korea has not officially confirmed any planned meeting. Kim’s sister, Kim Yo Jong, said she was unaware of any communication between the North Korean and US leaders.
She also dismissed the significance of shortening the military exercise, arguing that reducing its scale or duration did not change what Pyongyang considers its “hostile and aggressive” nature.
Kim Yo Jong acknowledged that her brother had positive memories of Trump and that their personal relationship remained good, but insisted Washington had not changed what North Korea regards as its hostile policy.
Trump had criticised the exercises on Truth Social over the weekend, describing them as costly and sending an “inappropriate and hostile” signal.
He also linked his dissatisfaction with Seoul to South Korea’s refusal to participate in US action against Iran.
Trump repeated the criticism on Monday, arguing that the US had thousands of troops stationed in South Korea to protect the country from North Korea but Seoul was unwilling to assist Washington with Iran.
US and South Korean military officials had announced this year’s Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise at a joint press conference last week, initially saying it would be similar in scale to previous years.
About 18,000 South Korean troops had been expected to participate.
Military officials also highlighted the potential threat posed by North Korean troops returning home after gaining battlefield experience while supporting Russia in its war against Ukraine.
North Korea’s foreign ministry had previously condemned the joint exercises, describing them as a rehearsal for an aggressive war.
