Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung has expressed respect for U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to facilitate dialogue with North Korea by reducing the scale of South Korea-U.S. military exercises. Lee shared his thoughts on his X account, following the announcement by the allies to abbreviate the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise as per Trump's directive.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Trump had mentioned in a social media post that he instructed the Pentagon to "substantially reduce" joint military exercises, which he believed sent a "totally inappropriate and hostile" message to North Korea. Lee acknowledged Trump's decision as a significant move aimed at fostering peace on the Korean Peninsula and expressed his alignment with Trump's efforts to establish a peace regime even if it involves scaling back military collaborations.

Lee also conveyed his hope that this decision would eventually lead to a lasting peace regime through confidence-building and renewed dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang. He committed to playing his part as a "pacemaker" to support Trump's "peacemaker" role, referencing a proposal made during their first summit.

The decision to scale back exercises has been perceived by some as a reaction to Seoul's hesitance to support U.S. efforts in denuclearizing Iran. Trump had reportedly inquired if Seoul would like to join the effort, receiving a response of "No thanks." Lee addressed this by emphasizing South Korea's willingness to engage in international efforts to secure free passage in the Strait of Hormuz and emphasized continued close communication with the U.S. on contributory measures within legal and policy limits.

Lee expressed eagerness to meet President Trump again soon in the United States, underscoring the importance of their collaborative efforts in international relations.