Inside the tension that drove Trump’s South Korea alliance from ‘historic new era’ to military pullback

President Donald Trump announced a reduction in the scale of the Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military exercises with South Korea, linking the decision to delays in South Korean investment commitments. The move came as Trump administration officials simultaneously signaled openness to diplomatic engagement with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. U.S. and South Korean military officials had previously characterized the exercises as a demonstration of alliance strength.

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