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South Korea says US cancelled joint marine drills over force constraints from Iran war
Euronews.com • • general
Key Points:
- The United States has cancelled the large joint amphibious landing exercise Ssangyong with South Korea, originally scheduled for next month, due to force availability constraints linked to the Iran war.
- Ssangyong is a biennial drill involving marine forces from both countries to enhance combined operations, including warships, aircraft, and ground forces rehearsing amphibious landings.
- This cancellation follows President Donald Trump's recent order to scale down the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises from 11 days to five, citing high costs and concerns about sending hostile signals to North Korea.
- South Korea and the US are continuing consultations on possibly resuming the Ssangyong exercise, but no further details have been provided.
- Trump's reduction of joint military drills aligns with his efforts to improve relations with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, despite ongoing concerns about Pyongyang's expanding nuclear arsenal.
