According to NBC News and The Guardian, on August 17, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had responded to his request for “dialogue.”
That day, a reporter asked Trump why Kim hadn’t responded to his dialogue proposal. Trump replied, “How do you know he hasn’t responded?”
The reporter pressed: “So he has responded?”
After a brief pause, Trump said, “Yes, he has.”
When asked what stage the dialogue was at, Trump said it was “very positive,” but offered no further details.
He added, “Kim Jong-un has always been very respectful to me. I know him, and he knows me.”
Trump then noted, “South Korea has been protected by us for many years.”
He once again criticized Seoul for refusing to join the U.S. in its conflict with Iran, saying, “We have soldiers stationed there (in South Korea) to protect you from your neighbors, yet you wouldn’t help us in a very simple military operation against Iran. It’s strange.”
Trump said, “All I want is fairness.”
NBC pointed out that the U.S. and South Korea are close allies. On August 16, Trump announced he had ordered a “significant reduction” in joint military exercises with South Korea. He said he had a good relationship with Kim Jong-un and accused Seoul of not participating in the war against Iran.
On August 17, a senior official at South Korea’s presidential office Cheong Wa Dae responded, saying that Seoul and Washington have been closely coordinating to maintain a solid joint defense posture and joint exercises, and will continue to cooperate on specific matters.
The official expressed hope that the friendly relationship between the leaders of North Korea and the U.S. would translate into meaningful dialogue between the two countries and open discussions on promoting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. To that end, the official said, South Korea will work closely with the U.S. while actively carrying out necessary diplomatic efforts as a “mediator.”
Regarding the Middle East situation, the official said South Korea has been actively participating in international discussions on promoting a ceasefire in Iran and restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Considering factors such as the readiness posture on the Korean Peninsula and domestic legal procedures, Seoul is closely consulting with Washington on feasible military contributions.
The South Korean and U.S. militaries launched the annual “Ulchi Freedom Shield” (UFS) joint exercise on August 17, which will run until August 27. This year’s drill reflects lessons learned from recent wartime scenarios. The scale of South Korean participation is similar to previous years, with around 18,000 troops. The exercise plans to include 14 battalion-level or larger field training exercises (FTX), fewer than last year’s 17.
On August 14, the U.S. Eighth Army in South Korea said the exercise includes rapid deployment and preparation procedures for Army Prepositioned Stocks-4 (APS-4), demonstrating the U.S.-South Korea alliance’s ability to quickly project combat power within the first island chain. However, when asked on August 10 whether the exercise includes content related to regional threats, U.S. Forces Korea Public Affairs Director Ryan Donald said UFS is designed to address security threats facing the Korean Peninsula.
