Seoul and Washington shorten duration of joint military exercises 'Ulchi Freedom Shield'

South Korea and the United States have shortened the duration of joint military exercises by six days, while the Pentagon has affirmed that this decision will not affect U.S. military objectives. The South Korean military announced that the drills, which were scheduled to run until the 27th, will now conclude on the 24th. The Joint Chiefs of Staff of South Korea stated in a bulletin that the duration of the “Ulchi Freedom Shield” exercises was adjusted following a “proposal from the U.S. side.” South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told parliament that Seoul had not been previously informed of the decision to reduce the length of the exercises. He said, “Neither our government nor U.S. government officials had prior knowledge of what President Trump announced on his Truth Social platform.” For its part, the U.S. Department of Defense, known as the Pentagon, confirmed that these adjustments “maintain the core objectives related to readiness and training,” emphasizing that “there will be no reduction in U.S. training objectives.” The United States maintains approximately 28,500 troops in South Korea, one of the largest U.S. military deployments in Asia. Some of these troops participate alongside 18,000 South Korean soldiers in the “Ulchi Freedom Shield” exercises. Meanwhile, North Korea’s official news agency reported that these drills “pose the most severe and clear threat to Pyongyang and to regional security.”