Seoul: South Korea’s president said Tuesday a solid alliance with the US strengthens the foundation of national security, as many South Koreans were baffled and concerned about US President Donald Trump’s abrupt order to substantially reduce joint military exercises.
Trump made the surprise announcement in a social media post just before US and South Korean soldiers began Monday’s annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, which are largely designed to sharpen readiness against North Korean threats.
Trump cited what he said was good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korea’s refusal to join the US war against Iran.
Trump’s move was apparently taken without consultations with South Korea and meant to reach out to Kim, deepening concerns about the reliability of the US-South Korean alliance forged in the turmoil of the 1950-53 Korean War.
Confidence in the US has already eroded among many South Koreans because of Trump’s tariff war and last year’s immigration raid in the US state of Georgia that led to the detainment of hundreds of South Korean workers.
Trump’s announcement reveals the stark reality of a faltering Korea-US alliance, fuelling public anxiety, South Korea’s Hankook Ilbo newspaper said in an editorial Tuesday.
It’s absurd that the US appears to treat North Korea more respectfully than its ally South Korea.
In a regular Cabinet meeting, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung stressed the importance of a firm military alliance with the US, saying that national security will be further strengthened when the alliance is solid.
When we build up our strengths, our value and importance as an ally will further grow, said Lee, a liberal who has called for a stronger, self-reliant defence posture.
It was unclear which parts of the 11-day South Korea-US exercises were being downsized. The South Korean and US militaries earlier said their drills this year would be similar in scale to previous years and incorporate lessons from recent conflicts such as North Korea’s battlefield experiences in the Russia-Ukraine front. They also said the drills are defensive in nature.
North Korea’s Foreign Ministry accused South Korea and the US of plotting more provocative drills this year and vowed to respond with a new level of deterrence.
Kim has shunned any talks with the US and South Korea since his earlier high-profile diplomacy with Trump fell apart in 2019.
Experts say Kim won’t likely embrace Trump’s overture and return to talks anytime soon unless he is promised bigger US concessions. Kim has boosted his military and diplomatic credentials in recent years by enlarging his nuclear arsenal and aligning with Russia over its war against Ukraine.
Lee’s presidential office Monday expressed hopes that a friendly relationship between Trump and Kim would lead to meaningful dialogue between their countries to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula.
That invited a backlash from the conservative opposition, which criticised Lee’s government for allegedly prioritising resumption of Kim-Trump diplomacy over security concerns.