South Korea said shared combat exercises with the United States stopped sooner than planned after a request from Washington. A South Korean minister stated that Donald Trump seems to be leaning on Seoul over money deals and Tehran ties. The South Korean foreign minister said scaling back the exercises was meant to pressure Seoul regarding Iran. Although stopping the shared drills early gives the South Korean president what he wants, Seoul stays unsettled.
Discussions continue regarding giving Seoul a seat for short-range nuclear arms discussions. Meanwhile, South Korea is exploring options for a fresh money center away from packed Seoul.