### [2026-08-17](/feed/2026/08/17/index.md)

##### South Korea–United States relations
# United States president Donald Trump orders the Department of Defense to substantially reduce the Ulchi-Freedom Guardian military exercises with South Korea, citing their cost and his relationship with North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un. The drills begin as scheduled. 




### Sources:

1. [AFP via ''The Straits Times](https://www.straitstimes.com/world/united-states/trump-instructs-pentagon-to-reduce-military-exercises-with-south-korea)

### Related:

1. [South Korea's navy recovers the body of a sailor who disappeared during a patrol near the Northern Limit Line, after South Korea requested North Korean assistance and launched a search involving ships and aircraft. ](/feed/2026/07/13/south-korea-s-navy-recovers-the-body-of-a-sailor-who-disappeared-during-a-patrol-near-the-northern-limit-line-after-sou.md) _Context: North Korea, South Korea_
2. [South Korea announces that it will accept any North Korean prisoners of war captured by Ukraine while fighting for Russia if they choose resettlement in South Korea. South Korea also opposes any repatriation of such prisoners against their wishes. ](/feed/2026/06/23/south-korea-announces-that-it-will-accept-any-north-korean-prisoners-of-war-captured-by-ukraine-while-fighting-for-russi.md) _Context: North Korea, South Korea_
3. [The Seoul Central District Court in South Korea orders North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un to pay damages to five former Korean War prisoners who were held in North Korea after the conflict. ](/feed/2026/05/14/the-seoul-central-district-court-in-south-korea-orders-north-korean-supreme-leader-kim-jong-un-to-pay-damages-to-five-fo.md) _Context: Kim Jong Un, North Korea, supreme leader_
4. [North Korea's supreme leader, Kim Jong Un, is re-elected as the General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea, the most powerful position in the one-party state. ](/feed/2026/02/22/north-korea-s-supreme-leader-kim-jong-un-is-re-elected-as-the-general-secretary-of-the-workers-party-of-korea-the-mo.md) _Context: Kim Jong Un, North Korea, supreme leader_
5. [South Korea announces it will launch a formal investigation into human rights abuses by U.S. federal personnel during the raid at a Hyundai factory in Georgia earlier this month. ](/feed/2025/09/15/south-korea-announces-it-will-launch-a-formal-investigation-into-human-rights-abuses-by-us-federal-personnel-during-th.md) _Context: South Korea, South Korea–United States relations_
6. [United States president Donald Trump confirms plans to sell weapons to NATO allies to be provided to Ukraine after the Pentagon previously paused weapon shipments. ](/feed/2025/07/11/united-states-president-donald-trump-confirms-plans-to-sell-weapons-to-nato-allies-to-be-provided-to-ukraine-after-the-p.md) _Context: Department of Defense, Donald Trump, United States president_
7. [United States president Donald Trump signs an executive order lifting all American sanctions on Syria that were imposed during the now-overthrown Assad family's regime. ](/feed/2025/06/30/united-states-president-donald-trump-signs-an-executive-order-lifting-all-american-sanctions-on-syria-that-were-imposed.md) _Context: Donald Trump, United States president_
8. [North Korean destroyer "Kang Kon" is successfully launched, having partially sunk during its first launch attempt two weeks prior. Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un announces plans for two more 5,000-tonne destroyers to be built next year. ](/feed/2025/06/13/north-korean-destroyer-kang-kon-is-successfully-launched-having-partially-sunk-during-its-first-launch-attempt-two-we.md) _Context: Kim Jong Un, North Korea, supreme leader_
9. [The Nikkei 225, SSE Composite Index, and Hang Seng Index experience substantial losses following Friday’s losses on the New York Stock Exchange as a result of U.S. president Donald Trump's tariffs. European markets also decline, particularly in banking and defense sectors. The ASX 200 in Australia and the Kospi in South Korea also closes lower. ](/feed/2025/04/7/the-nikkei-225-sse-composite-index-and-hang-seng-index-experience-substantial-losses-following-friday-s-losses-on-the.md) _Context: Donald Trump, South Korea_
10. [The South Korean military reports that North Korea has fired what appears to be an intermediate-range ballistic missile toward the Sea of Japan, in what would be the country's first missile launch in two months. The launch comes as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits Seoul, South Korea, for talks with South Korean leaders. ](/feed/2025/01/6/the-south-korean-military-reports-that-north-korea-has-fired-what-appears-to-be-an-intermediate-range-ballistic-missile.md) _Context: North Korea, South Korea_