The authorities of South Korea have confirmed that the annual military exercises with the United States, which were scheduled to begin this Monday, will take place as planned and will conclude on August 27. The decision is known just hours after the U.S. president, Donald Trump, announced a "substantial reduction" of these maneuvers, a comment that Seoul has not made any mention of.
"From August 17 to August 27, the exercise 'Freedom Shield Ulchi 2026' will be carried out with the aim of consolidating the joint defense posture between South Korea and the United States," the South Korean Ministry of Defense announced in a message on social media.
The Ministry has emphasized that these are "defensive" exercises that are carried out every year between Washington and Seoul and that will allow "to strengthen the joint defense posture" of both allies, "including joint and integrated operations in all areas."
According to the Defense Ministry, these maneuvers will support the exercises of "preparation for wartime," as well as the "practical training of government ministries aimed at establishing preparedness for national emergencies and ensuring the protection of life and the safety of the population, thus improving the capacity to carry out total war at the government level."
The exercises, considered a key strategic element in the Indo-Pacific, include response scenarios to potential drone attacks and cyberattacks, in a context marked by the sending of North Korean troops to Russia.
As Trump has explained, the announcement of a "substantial reduction" of these traditional joint exercises is due to the good relationship he claims to maintain with North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, as well as Seoul's rejection of participating in the war against Iran and the high operational cost of these maneuvers.
Trump's message also coincides with a new offer from Seoul to North Korea to definitively close the state of war that has lasted for 70 years, a proposal to which Pyongyang has not yet responded. The announcement also comes after an incident at the border, when South Korean forces fired warning shots at several North Korean soldiers who briefly crossed the Military Demarcation Line.