Overview
- The South Korean General Staff said the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise will end on Friday, six days earlier than planned, after a U.S. proposal shortened the drills.
- The Pentagon described the cut as "significant" but said essential training and core readiness goals will be preserved despite the shorter schedule.
- Seoul’s foreign minister said South Korea was not told in advance of President Trump’s announcement, and U.S. lawmakers from both parties publicly criticized the move.
- South Korean military sources reported the planned second phase, a counteroffensive exercise to practice transition from defense to retaliation, was dropped, reducing the scope of war-game scenarios.
- The drills have been held since the 1950s as a key deterrent with about 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea, and the change could reshape alliance coordination and pressure allies to reassess regional defenses.