At Trump's Request, South Korea-U.S. Joint Military Exercises End Early, Training Schedule Cut by About Half

According to South Korean sources, after U.S. President Trump requested a significant reduction in the scale of the U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises, the U.S. and South Korean military held an emergency meeting on the 18th, deciding to significantly compress the schedule of the ongoing "Ulchi Freedom Shield" joint military exercises. The exercises, originally planned to last until the 27th, will conclude this week, and the second phase of counteroffensive drills has been canceled.

The "Ulchi Freedom Shield" joint military exercises began on the 17th and were originally planned to be conducted in two phases: the first phase from the 17th to the 21st, focusing on attack and defense drills; the second phase was scheduled for the 23rd to the 27th, with a focus on counteroffensive operations. South Korean military sources revealed that after urgent consultations on the 18th, the U.S. and South Korean military decided to conduct only the defensive operations portion of the first phase, after which U.S. personnel will withdraw; alternative plans will be sought for the training items that were not implemented as originally planned. This adjustment means that the overall training time for the "Ulchi Freedom Shield" exercises has been shortened by about half compared to the original plan.

South Korean analysis pointed out that it is extremely rare in the history of U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises to significantly reduce the schedule after the exercises have already begun and to cancel the second phase of counteroffensive drills.

On the 16th, U.S. President Trump stated on social media that he had instructed U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper to "significantly reduce the scale of the U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises." On the 18th, U.S. Forces Korea Commander General Paul LaCamera temporarily canceled a public event scheduled for the morning and met with South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup in the afternoon at the South Korean Ministry of Defense. It is believed that the two sides finalized the reduction plan for the joint military exercises during this meeting.

The significant reduction of the "Ulchi Freedom Shield" joint military exercises has also raised concerns across various sectors in South Korea regarding the process of transferring wartime operational control to South Korea. Since this joint military exercise is seen as an important platform for testing the South Korean military's ability to independently execute combat missions, the cancellation of the second phase of counteroffensive training may impact the verification of the South Korean military's relevant operational capabilities and the process of transferring wartime operational control. South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol clearly stated during a State Council meeting on the morning of the 18th that the transfer of wartime operational control should be completed smoothly according to the government's original plan during his term, and he called for continued strengthening of U.S.-South Korea military coordination. (Reporter Zhang Yun from the Central Broadcasting Station)