South Korea President Says Country Must Prepare For ‘Worst-Case Scenario’ After Trump Cuts Joint Drills

August 18, 2026 3:33 PM ET The president of South Korea, Lee Jae Myung, said Tuesday that while maintaining peace remains their number one priority as President Donald Trump orders the reduction of American troops’ in joint exercises, the country must prepare for a “worst-case scenario.”Jae-myung told the country’s National Security Council to review the nation’s ability to wage total war so that it could prepare, according to a briefing by the office. (RELATED: Prime Minister Mad States Aren’t Forking Over Guns Like He Wants)He also urged that defensive and total national mobilization exercises be conducted, emphasizing that their goal is to defend the safety of South Koreans and that they have “no intention of attacking North Korea or escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula.”“Above a