South Korea president calls for military independence in wake of Trump call to cut joint drills

Read the original at The Guardian ↗
Cite

Seoul, R. R. i. (2026, August 18). South Korea president calls for military independence in wake of Trump call to cut joint drills. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/18/south-korea-president-trump-military-drills-control-opcon-kim-jong-un

Dated when The Aporia collected the article, usually within hours of publication. Check the original for its exact date and byline.

The Guardian · collected 2026-08-18 · by Raphael Rashid in Seoul

Quick Summary

South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung has renewed his call for independent control of the military from the US, citing Donald Trump's decision to cut joint drills as a reason to accelerate this process. Lee wants to transfer wartime operational control (Opcon) from the US to South Korea, a goal that has been delayed for over two decades. This week's joint exercises with the US were expected to involve 18,000 South Korean troops, but Trump has ordered a significant reduction in drills. The push for Opcon is motivated by Lee's desire to increase South Korea's value and necessity as an ally to the US.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-08-18, using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the same event (that is the story summary below).

AI analysis runs on qwen2.5:14b, locally

Story summary

President Trump has instructed the Pentagon to reduce US involvement in joint military exercises with South Korea, which have been cut short from August 27 to August 21. The decision was made after Trump cited his "very good" relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and claimed that the exercises were expensive. Trump also hinted that his decision was influenced by South Korea's refusal to assist in the "denuclearization" of Iran.

The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, which started on Monday, have been reduced in scope and scale, with some events canceled or converted to simulations. The South Korean National Defense Ministry said that the two countries "have agreed, at the request of the U.S. side, to make some adjustments to the duration and scale of the exercise."

The decision has caused alarm among South Koreans and experts concerned about the deteriorating security situation in Northeast Asia. Some analysts have warned that Trump's move risks alienating South Korea and undercutting US credibility in Asia.

South Korea's president, Lee Jae Myung, has renewed his push to regain independent control of the military from the US in the event of war and urged faster progress in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines. Lee said that Seoul should proceed without disruption with the planned transfer of wartime operational control (Opcon) of South Korean forces from the US.

The decision to reduce joint exercises with South Korea comes as Trump has grown frustrated with the slow rollout of a $350 billion trade and investment framework between the two countries, which he sees as essential for his North Korea strategy. Trump's statement seemed to disregard North Korea's recent spate of missile tests and Pyongyang's threats of a "new level" of nuclear deterrence in response to the planned drills.

The move has also raised questions about whether Trump is prioritizing his relationship with Kim over South Korea, a key US ally. South Korea's president has said that he will assist Trump as a "pacemaker" if Trump becomes a peacemaker, but experts are concerned about the implications of Trump's decision for regional security and the future of the US-South Korea alliance.

Written for “Trump Cuts South Korea Drills” on 2026-10-16, grounded in this article and the 21 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Trump Cuts South Korea Drills
Politics · 22 article(s) covering the same event. Compare every outlet's account →

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 0% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
U.S. military drills with South Korea are cut short after surprise Trump order same event · 100%
NBC News
⚖️ Leans right 🔴 4% hedged 1 of 24 📰 publisher trust 95
“Both articles describe the exact same incident: Donald Trump's surprise order to cut short joint military exercises between US and South Korea, citing his good relationship with Kim Jong Un.”
Will Trump's North Korea strategy hurt US allies? same event · 100%
Deutsche Welle
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 11% hedged 4 of 35 📰 publisher trust 95
“Both articles report on President Trump's order to substantially reduce US involvement in joint military exercises with South Korea, made on Sunday and announced publicly.”
U.S., South Korea cut short their joint military drills at Trump's direction same event · 100%
CBS News
⚖️ Leans right 🔴 5% hedged 1 of 19 📰 publisher trust 66
“Both articles describe President Trump's order to cut joint military drills between US and South Korea, and the subsequent decision to shorten the exercises”
South Korea cuts short joint drills at Trump’s request as US pushes for North Korea talks same event · 100%
The Independent
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 17% hedged 4 of 24 📰 publisher trust 59
“Both articles report on the same joint military exercises between South Korea and the US being cut short at Trump's request”
North Korea slams joint US-South military drills as 'open threat' to regional security same event · 100%
Euronews
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 0% hedged 0 of 16 📰 publisher trust 60
“Both articles report on US President Trump's order to cut joint military exercises with South Korea, which happened on Sunday”
As Trump courts Kim, Pyongyang ups price while Seoul fears being sidelined same event · 100%
NPR
⚖️ Leans left 🔴 17% hedged 7 of 41 📰 publisher trust 60
“Both articles describe the aftermath of Trump's order to cut joint drills, mentioning North Korea's rebuff and its subsequent missile launch.”
Ministers tread carefully as Trump scales back US drills in South Korea different event · 90%
ABC News (AU)
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 13% hedged 4 of 31 📰 publisher trust 70
“Although both articles mention Donald Trump's decision to scale back US drills in South Korea, they focus on different reactions and responses to this event”
Is Trump choosing North Korea over South Korea? | About That same event · 90%
CBC News
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 33% hedged 1 of 3 📰 publisher trust 60
“Both articles mention Trump's order to cut joint drills with South Korea on Sunday night, referencing the same time and action”
US-led drills to end six days early, South Korea says, amid Trump push for Kim Jong-un talks same event · 90%
The Guardian
⚖️ leaning not scored 🔴 10% hedged 2 of 20 📰 publisher trust 67
“Both articles describe the cancellation and reduction of joint military drills between South Korea and the US, initiated by Trump's request to cut back on exercises”
North Korea fires possible ballistic missiles toward sea different event · 90%
Deutsche Welle
⚖️ Leans right 🔴 0% hedged 0 of 12 📰 publisher trust 95
“Article A discusses Trump's call to cut joint drills, while Article B reports on a separate incident of North Korea firing ballistic missiles towards the sea”
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

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Claims extracted
30
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
0%
0 of 30 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
withheld
no quote in the article backed the model's score
Publisher signals
67/100
The Guardian's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
22
Politics
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-08-18 · how these are computed

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Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

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Running correction rate · 5 correction(s)
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Who wrote this

Raphael Rashid in Seoul
7 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 South Korea will take legal action if it finds that shipments of fuel from its ports to Russia broke domestic law, the government has said, responding to a Guardian report on the trade.
2026-10-08 · mixed framing · South Korea threatens legal action if fuel shipments to Russia found to have broken law
🔮 North Korea would bear “all responsibility” for any future developments, he said.
2026-09-30 · assertive framing · South Korea calls for apology from North Korea after mine injures three soldiers
🔮 According to reports, the assets under consideration include a P-8 Poseidon aircraft, which would mark South Korea’s first overseas deployment of a maritime patrol aircraft, and a naval logistics support ship to provide rear support.
2026-09-04 · assertive framing · South Korea pushes back on reports it is readying Hormuz deployment amid US pressure
🔮 South Korea’s military has confirmed that joint military drills with the US will be cut short, days after Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to scale back the exercises.
2026-08-19 · assertive framing · US-led drills to end six days early, South Korea says, amid Trump push for Kim Jong-un talks
🔮 At their first summit, in August last year, the South Korean president, Lee Jae Myung, told Donald Trump: “If you, Mr President, become the peacemaker, then I will assist you as the pacemaker.”
2026-08-19 · mixed framing · In cutting joint drills, Trump has given South Korea’s president what he wants. So why is Seoul so uneasy?
🔮 They were expected to involve about 18,000 South Korean troops, alongside US forces and personnel from 11 of the 18 member states of the United Nations Command (UNC), the multinational body that oversees the 1953 armistice that halted hostilities of the Korean war.
2026-08-18 · assertive framing · South Korea president calls for military independence in wake of Trump call to cut joint drills
Also by Raphael Rashid in Seoul
South Korea threatens legal action if fuel shipments to Russia found to have broken law
2026-10-08 · The Guardian
Oil from South Korea being shipped to Russia as Ukraine war grinds on
2026-10-06 · The Guardian
South Korea calls for apology from North Korea after mine injures three soldiers
2026-09-30 · The Guardian
South Korea pushes back on reports it is readying Hormuz deployment amid US pressure
2026-09-04 · The Guardian
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 7 articles by Raphael Rashid in Seoul →

Topics

Pentagon Seoul South Korea South Korean South Korea’s

Subjects

South Korean NORP · 6× Trump PERSON · 6× Kim PERSON · 5× South Korea GPE · 4× South Korea’s GPE · 4× Lee PERSON · 3× North Korean NORP · 3× Kim Jong-un PERSON · 2× Pentagon ORG · 2× Seoul GPE · 2×

Narrative

Lee Jae Myung said on Tuesday that Seoul should proceed without disruption with the planned transfer, during his term, of wartime operational control, or Opcon, of South Korean forces from the US – a goal he and the government have long held. “A strong alliance makes the foundation of security stronger, and strengthening our own capabilities increases our value and necessity as an ally,” Lee said in a cabinet meeting, describing the US-South Korea alliance and independent defence as mutually reinforcing.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-08-18
🔮 They were expected to involve about 18,000 South Korean troops, alongside US forces and personnel from 11 of the 18 member states of the United Nations Command (UNC), the multinational body that oversees the 1953 armistice that halted hostilities of the Korean war.
2026-08-18 · The Guardian
South Korea president calls for military independence in wake of Trump call to cut joint drills · assertive framing

Claims (30 extracted, 0 hedged)

South Korea’s president has renewed his push to regain independent control of the military from the US in the event of war and urged faster progress in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines after Donald Trump’s order to cut joint drills. asserted
president → renew → drills
On Sunday night, Trump instructed the Pentagon to “substantially reduce” this week’s joint military exercises with South Korea, saying the nuclear-armed North “has been unthreatening and respectful” and that the US president had a “very good relationship with Kim Jong-un”. asserted
president → instruct → un
Lee Jae Myung said on Tuesday that Seoul should proceed without disruption with the planned transfer, during his term, of wartime operational control, or Opcon, of South Korean forces from the US – a goal he and the government have long held. “A strong alliance makes the foundation of security stronger, and strengthening our own capabilities increases our value and necessity as an ally,” Lee said in a cabinet meeting, describing the US-South Korea alliance and independent defence as mutually reinforcing. asserted
Lee → say → alliance
The issue dates back to the Korean war, which ended in an armistice rather than a formal peace treaty in 1953, meaning the two Koreas remain technically at war. asserted
Koreas → date → war
US troops have been stationed in South Korea ever since, and the country now hosts Camp Humphreys, the largest American military base outside the US. asserted
country → station → US
The two militaries train and operate together closely, including through large-scale annual exercises such as this week’s. asserted
militaries → train → week
Wartime Opcon, the authority to direct South Korean forces if fighting resumes, has rested with the US since the war began, exercised through the head of the allies’ Combined Forces Command, a position that has always been held by an American four-star general. asserted
that → direct → general
Seoul regained peacetime control of its own military in 1994, but the wartime authority has become a potent symbol of national sovereignty, and reclaiming it has been one of South Korea’s foremost security goals for more than two decades, repeatedly delayed under successive governments. asserted
reclaiming → regain → governments
This week’s now-curtailed drills were meant to help certify South Korea’s readiness to finally take it over, a process Lee has pushed to accelerate since taking office. asserted
Lee → curtail → office
Lee also called for faster progress on South Korea’s nuclear-powered submarine programme and on developing officers capable of integrated operations for future conflicts. asserted
Lee → call → conflicts
The renewed push follows Trump’s call to make cuts to the planned 10 days of drills that started on Monday under the name Ulchi Freedom Shield, one of two main annual exercises held by South Korea and the US. asserted
that → renew → Korea
They were expected to involve about 18,000 South Korean troops, alongside US forces and personnel from 11 of the 18 member states of the United Nations Command (UNC), the multinational body that oversees the 1953 armistice that halted hostilities of the Korean war. asserted
that → expect → war
During questioning in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump claimed North Korean leader Kim had responded to his order to the Pentagon but did not provide details. asserted
Kim → claim → details
When asked what stage the conversations with Kim were at, Trump said “it’s very positive” but provided no further detail. asserted
it → ask → detail
Trump doubled down on his praise for Kim, saying their ties had reduced tensions. asserted
ties → double → tensions
“You see, I’m actually making it much safer. asserted
it → see → ?
Kim Jong-un has always treated me with great respect,” he said. asserted
he → treat → respect
“I understand him. asserted
I → understand → him
He understands me.” asserted
He → understand → me
Trump has previously suspended major US-South Korean military exercises in pursuit of diplomacy with Kim. asserted
Trump → suspend → Kim
After his first summit with the North Korean leader in 2018, that year’s Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise was cancelled, while other drills were suspended or scaled back. asserted
drills → cancel → 2018
The exercises were redesigned and resumed in modified form with changed names. asserted
exercises → redesign → names
The US president acted despite warnings from US and South Korean military officials that Kim’s regime is learning new battlefield tactics from sending North Korean troops to the Ukraine war. asserted
regime → act → war
Last week, South Korean and US military officials said Ulchi Freedom Shield drills would incorporate aspects such as the North Koreans’ experience with drones on the battlefield. asserted
drills → say → battlefield
North Korea has deepened military ties with Russia since they signed a comprehensive strategic partnership pact in June 2024. asserted
they → deepen → June
Pyongyang is providing troops, artillery ammunition and ballistic missiles to support Moscow’s war against Ukraine. asserted
Pyongyang → provide → Ukraine
“They’ve taken those lessons they learned there and brought them back to North Korea, that changes the DPRK capability,” said Col Ryan Donald, the public affairs director for the US-led commands in South Korea. asserted
Donald → take → Korea
“Our training accounts for that threat, that is why the exercise looks different [from previous exercises], and over the last five years it’s continually evolved.” asserted
it → account → years
On Tuesday, Seoul’s presidential office said the drills did not reflect “any intention to attack North Korea or escalate tensions on the Korean peninsula”. asserted
drills → say → peninsula
Lee’s office reiterated that their fundamental purpose was “not to treat a specific entity as an adversary, but to safeguard the safe and peaceful daily lives of the people”. asserted
purpose → reiterate → people
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