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Drills Cut, Tensions Rise
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Tuesday that maintaining peace was "most important" for the country but it needs to prepare for the "worst case scenario" after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to "substantially reduce" joint drills with Seoul.
“ordered Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to "substantially reduce" joint drills with Seoul”
CNBC reported that the joint military exercises known as Ulchi Freedom Shield started Monday and are scheduled to run until Aug. 27, with about 18,000 South Korean military personnel participating.
The CNBC account said Pyongyang has denounced the drills as a rehearsal for invading the North, while South Korea’s foreign affairs ministry said last week that "This is tantamount to an admission" the exercises are a rehearsal for an aggressive war.
In the Oval Office, The Hill reported Trump said he asked Lee Jae Myung for "a little hand" with Iran and that Lee responded "No thanks," after which Trump said he told him the U.S. has 39,000 soldiers over there guarding South Korea from Kim Jong Un.
CNN Reporter Clash
During an Oval Office exchange, Trump repeatedly told CNN correspondent Kristen Holmes to be quiet as she pressed him about his communications with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his decision to reduce the scale of joint exercises with South Korea.
The Guardian reported that the White House launched a personal attack on Holmes with a social media post that mentioned her children and accused her of asking a “disgusting and inhumane question”.
Fox News reported that Trump called Sen. Jon Ossoff a "Pee-wee Herman" lookalike after Holmes asked for his reaction to Ossoff’s viral remark about Trump wanting to "build a ballroom and travel with [White House aide]" Natalie Harp.
In the same exchange, Fox News said Trump told Holmes, "Fake news, you’re fake news, you’re a loud boisterous person. You’re fake news. Be quiet. Be quiet." and CNN responded by saying Holmes is "one of the most respected and accomplished journalists covering the White House."
Money, Leverage, and Fallout
Korea JoongAng Daily said a Politico report linked Trump’s move to scale back joint drills with frustration over the pace of South Korea’s investment commitments to the United States, describing the possibility that Washington is linking economic issues to security matters.
“South Korea pledged a total $350 billion in investments”
The Korea JoongAng Daily account said South Korea pledged a total $350 billion in investments during tariff negotiations, including $150 billion earmarked for cooperation in the shipbuilding industry, while the remaining $200 billion had not yet been announced.
Korea JoongAng Daily also reported that South Korea’s Personal Information Protection Commission imposed fines totaling 624.7 billion won ($442.5 million) on Coupang in June over personal data leaks, and said Politico described Trump as someone who actively uses “leverage” in negotiations.
In parallel, CNBC reported Trump accused Seoul of not helping the U.S. in the conflict with Iran, saying on Monday that "We have 39,000 soldiers over there guarding you from Kim Jong Un" and that South Korea was "not going to help us" on a "very easy military operation in Iran."
