Trump says he ordered US-South Korea drills cut

US President Donald Trump said he ordered the Pentagon to substantially reduce joint military drills with South Korea, hours before the 11-day exercises began on Monday.

Trump wrote on Truth Social that he was unhappy with the drills, calling them costly and “inappropriate and hostile”. He cited his “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and said it was too late to cancel the exercises.

South Korea's defence ministry said the manoeuvres had started as “previously notified and scheduled”. South Korea's presidential office said Seoul and Washington had maintained close coordination on their combined defence posture, exercises and training, and would continue to do so.

The exercise involves 18,000 South Korean troops and US counterparts based in the country. A US and South Korean Combined Forces Command spokesman had said it would focus more on drone warfare, GPS disruption and cyber attacks.

North Korea has not publicly responded to Trump's statement. Pyongyang regularly condemns the joint exercises as rehearsals for invasion, and warned on Friday that it could respond with a “new level of deterrent” after test-firing a ballistic missile over the Sea of Japan.

The United States stations about 28,500 troops in South Korea to support its defence against North Korean military threats. The 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty.