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South Korea emphasizes defensive nature of drills with the US

The South Korean government highlights the defensive character of military exercises with the US, stating that they are not aimed at North Korea.

18 August 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: South Korea emphasizes defensive nature of drills with the US — Archive photoPhoto: Magnussen, Friedrich (1914-1987) · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 de

The South Korean government has defended the nature of the joint military exercises with the US. President Lee Jae-myung stated that the drills do not reflect any intention to attack North Korea or escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

These statements come in the wake of US President Donald Trump's announcement to reduce joint drills with South Korea. However, the South Korean leadership emphasizes that the exercises are purely defensive in nature.

President Lee Jae-myung's remarks underscore that South Korean authorities continue to maintain that the military exercises are not aggressive toward North Korea.

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