World · Malaysia Bureau
US cancels joint marine drill with South Korea citing Iran tensions
The United States has cancelled a planned joint marine exercise with South Korea as part of broader efforts to scale down military drills in the region. The cancellation follows recent orders to reduce the scope of annual joint exercises.
LSN Malaysia ·
South Korea's defence ministry confirmed that the United States has cancelled a scheduled joint marine drill, marking another reduction in combined military operations between the two allies. The cancellation is attributed to concerns over regional tensions involving Iran.
The move comes after US President Donald Trump ordered a reduction in the scale of the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, the allies' flagship annual joint military drills. The duration of these exercises has been cut from 11 days to five days, representing a significant reduction in the scope of the training operation.
These adjustments reflect a shift in the US approach to military exercises on the Korean Peninsula, with officials indicating a preference for smaller-scale operations during the current period of regional instability. South Korea and the United States maintain one of the world's largest military partnerships, with the allies conducting regular joint exercises designed to strengthen interoperability and readiness.
The cancellation and scaled-down drills have raised questions about the implications for deterrence capabilities in Northeast Asia, though both nations have reaffirmed their commitment to their defence alliance. Officials have not provided a timeline for when such exercises might resume at their previous scale.