South Korea says US canceled naval drills due to war with Iran
South Korea said that the United States canceled the large-scale joint Ssangyong amphibious exercises scheduled for next month. Seoul linked the decision to limited US capabilities to deploy military forces because of the war with Iran, Channel NewsAsia reports.
Limits on US forces
South Korean Marine Corps spokesperson Han Seung-jung said that the US Marine Corps officially informed the South Korean side back in June about limitations on its ability to deploy forces for this year's Ssangyong exercises due to the situation in the Middle East.
The Ssangyong exercises are held every two years with the participation of South Korean and US naval forces. They are intended to strengthen coordination during joint operations. Warships, aircraft and ground units usually take part in the maneuvers, practicing amphibious landings.
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Consultations and other exercises
According to the spokesperson, Seoul and Washington continue consultations on resuming the amphibious exercises, but he did not provide details. The Pentagon did not immediately comment on South Korea's announcement.
The cancellation of Ssangyong followed US President Donald Trump's decision to reduce the separate annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises from 11 to five days. Last week, Trump explained this by the high cost of the maneuvers and said they send an inappropriate and hostile signal to North Korea.
The US president also stressed the importance of maintaining relations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. According to Seoul's assessment, North Korea has approximately 80 to 120 nuclear warheads.
