Washington: The U.S. Department of Defense announced Tuesday that modifications to the ongoing South Korea-U.S. military exercise will not compromise its primary training goals while maintaining the allies' "essential readiness."

According to Yonhap News Agency, under directives from U.S. President Donald Trump, the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise is set to conclude on Friday, a week earlier than initially planned. Additionally, several live-training events have been scaled back, with some being canceled or converted to simulations, as detailed in a statement from the department.

The Department of Defense stated, "Based on direction from the President and Secretary of War, the Department has substantially reduced Exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield while continuing training that enhances tactical capability." They emphasized that "these adjustments preserve essential readiness and training objectives. There will be no degradation to U.S. training objectives."

On Sunday, Trump took to social media to explain his directive to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, highlighting that the exercises were "costly" and sent an "inappropriate and hostile" message to North Korea. This move is largely seen as a gesture of goodwill towards Pyongyang, as Trump has repeatedly shown interest in engaging in dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

However, the reduction of the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise has sparked concerns regarding its potential impact on joint efforts to strengthen deterrence in the face of North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile capabilities.