South Korea admits Trump blindsided Seoul by cutting military drills

The alliance has staged joint exercises for more than 70 years — but the U.S. president highlighted his "very good relationship" with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un in scaling them back.

President Lee Jae Myung has long pushed for stronger homegrown defences, yet Donald Trump’s move has sparked alarm in some quarters At their first summit, in August last year, South Korean president Lee Jae Myung told Donald Trump: “If you, Mr President, become the peacemaker, then I will assist you as the pacemaker.”