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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Raphael Rashid in Seoul and agencies

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

South Korea's military displays its ballistic missiles in September 2025. Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to scale back joint exercises with South Korea because North Korea had been ‘unthreatening’.
South Korea's military displays its ballistic missiles in September 2025. Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to scale back joint exercises with South Korea because North Korea had been ‘unthreatening’. Photograph: SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images

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.

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”.

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