Seoul: Foreign Minister Cho Hyun declared on Wednesday that the South Korean government was not briefed in advance about U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to reduce joint military exercises.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Cho communicated this revelation during a session with the National Assembly Committee on Foreign Affairs and Unification, stating, "Neither our government nor U.S. officials knew what President Trump wrote on his Truth Social." Cho emphasized that there was no prior notification regarding the directive.
Cho further elaborated on the situation concerning the ongoing joint military exercise, Ulchi Freedom Shield, between South Korea and the United States. He mentioned that Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back was engaged in "close consultations" with U.S. officials. "Since our defense minister was involved in the discussions, I do not think it amounts to a unilateral notification," Cho remarked. He also addressed concerns about the impact of the reduced exercise on the planned transfer of wartime operational control, stating that the U.S. should not use the reduction as a reason to delay the transfer, given that the scaling back was initiated at the U.S.' request.
Cho also touched on the potential for a summit this fall between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, indicating that such a meeting would signify "a new turning point." He stressed that the South Korean government is making comprehensive preparations to open dialogue channels with North Korea and will work closely with the U.S. to seize this opportunity. While Seoul has communicated its intentions to Washington, it has not yet received a response. Cho noted that the government has also queried the specifics of what Trump described as a recent exchange between Washington and Pyongyang.
When questioned about the possibility of the U.S. sidelining South Korea in dialogues with the North, Cho assured that his ministry would take swift action through consultations with relevant U.S. agencies to ensure the strength of the South Korea-U.S. alliance remains intact.