President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to scale back planned joint military exercises with South Korea, citing his good relationship with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un and the high costs of the exercises. The move is seen as a significant shift in the United States’ approach to the region, and has been met with criticism from some lawmakers.

Background

The joint exercises, which were set to begin this week, involve 18,000 South Korean soldiers and are designed to beef up readiness against North Korean threats. However, Trump has said that the exercises are too costly and send a signal that is “totally inappropriate and hostile” to North Korea.

Trump’s decision has been criticized by Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly, who said that “hollowing out these joint exercises is shortsighted and a mistake.” The move is also seen as a departure from the United States’ traditional approach to the region, and has raised concerns about the impact on regional stability.

The exercises are set to start days after North Korea resumed ballistic missile testing activities that are banned by the U.N. North Korea has been pushing hard to enlarge its nuclear and missile arsenals since Kim’s high-stakes diplomacy with Trump collapsed in 2019.

Trump met with the North Korean leader three times during his first term to discuss the country’s nuclear program, and has expressed interest in continuing those discussions. However, the move to scale back joint exercises with South Korea has raised concerns about the United States’ commitment to regional security.

Original reporting: NBC4 Los Angeles — read the source article.