RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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TEHRAN — South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said on Wednesday that President Donald Trump's order to curb joint military exercises appears aimed primarily at pressuring Seoul to back US operations in the war with Iran.
Speaking at a parliamentary hearing, Cho stated that Washington is utilizing the military drills as strategic leverage to force greater cooperation from key allies as the US attempts to break a deadlock in the Middle East conflict.
"I think President Trump's message includes pressure over several pending issues concerning the South Korean government, as well as a message to North Korea and an intention by the United States to break a stalemate in the Iran war," Cho told lawmakers.
South Korea and the United States announced Wednesday that they will shorten annual joint military exercises from 11 days to five and significantly reduce field training, following direct orders from Washington to trim US participation.
While Cho noted that other unresolved bilateral matters—including a previously pledged $350 billion US investment plan—remain background factors, Seoul views Washington's urge for support in the Iran campaign as a main driver behind the abrupt shift in defense posture.
During the same hearing, South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young offered an additional diplomatic angle, noting that curtailing military exercises long denounced by Pyongyang could simultaneously serve to arrange a potential new summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. However, Foreign Minister Cho’s assessment underscores growing concern in Seoul that the United States is refocusing its strategic priorities toward the Middle East, using the alliance's military posture on the Korean Peninsula to press for allied alignment in Iran.
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