Key facts
- U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson met with South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back.
- The meeting followed U.S. President Donald Trump's order to reduce the scale of joint military exercises.
- Trump cited cost burden and his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as reasons for the directive.
- The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, designed for North Korean contingencies, commenced on Monday and lasts 11 days.
U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Xavier Brunson met with South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back at the Defence Ministry in Seoul to discuss scaling back the joint Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercise. The meeting occurred after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a reduction in the scale of regular combined military exercises between the two allies, citing cost burden and his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.