US‑Korea Agree to Pause “War Games” Thanks to Trump’s Big Promise
South Korea and the United States are gearing up to put a stop to their “large‑scale” military drills for this week—though they’re quick to signal that they’ll jump back on the field if North Korea flinches on its denuclearisation pledge. Yonhap’s reporters got the scoop from an unnamed government source, who said the halt will likely touch only the big joint exercises, leaving the routine training sessions to carry on as usual.
Trump’s Surprising Tweet – The Spark
At a surprise twist that would have rattled even the calmest of diplomats, President Donald Trump dropped a tweet in Singapore that said, “Hold back the war games during the negotiations … it’s pretty expensive and sets a bad light.” Short on words but loud on impact, he said the U.S. would yank the drills altogether—but only if talks fell apart. For the moment, he’s given a green light to “pause” the mighty tests.
What the Military Bunch Is Doing Now
- US forces in Korea get the message: no hard kill on the drills, but there’s still no concrete guidance.
- South Korean officials scramble to figure out which exercises Trump was referring to.
- Re‑trained Admiral Harry Harris—now a Trump nominee for ambassador—rushed the Senate, backing the pause proposal with the caveat that routine training should keep going.
South Korea’s Flex to Stay Calm
Pres. Moon Jae‑in is playing it cool. He said the government needs to stay flexible when it comes to military pressure on North Korea, and that it will “carefully consider” joint drills with the U.S. Moon is essentially waving a safety rope while still looking in the same direction—with a polite glance in both directions.
Conversations in the DMZ: Panmunjom Talks
The two Koreas met in the border village of Panmunjom last Thursday, the first time there’s been a full-foreground shakedown since the 1990s. While South Korean officials, according to the defense ministry, denied following up on a request for the North to move artillery 30–40 kilometers from the boundary line, the atmosphere was festooned with tension. The summit that preceded it had promised to calm tensions and swear off “hostile acts.” But concrete agreements? None yet.
What’s in the Drill Calendar?
- Foal Eagle and Max Thunder wrapped up last month.
- Next up: Ulchi Freedom Guardian slated for the end of summer.
- Last year’s Ulchi drill saw 17,500 U.S. troops and 50,000 Korean soldiers—but it’s mostly simulations, not live fire.
In essence, the U.S. and South Korea are walking the tightrope between showing force and courting peace. Trump’s tweet might be a headline-grabbing strategy, but the real world will decide if the pause holds.
