There’s nothing novel about suspending joint military exercises, and there’s no guarantee it will make a difference.
Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un met this week in Singapore to discuss the prospects of North Korean denuclearization. In what is being touted as a historic meeting, the two leaders issued a joint statement that included a North Korean pledge “to work towards” denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. In exchange, Trump pledged to suspend U. S.-South Korea joint military exercises and possibly reduce the number of American troops in South Korea.
Trump argued that stopping “ the war games ” will “save us a tremendous amount of money, unless and until we see the future negotiation is not going along like it should…. Plus, I think it’s very provocative.”
South Korea and Japan were surprised by Trump’s announcement, as were some members of his own administration .
For its part, South Korea is outwardly pleased with the outcome of the summit, with President Moon Jae-in stating, “There are many different views on the outcome of that summit, but what is most important is the fact that it has allowed the entire world … to escape from threats of a nuclear war and long-range missiles.”
But South Korean officials were baffled by Trump’s decision to announce the suspension of the joint military exercises without first consulting them. This is a troubling development for South Korea: It demonstrates that the U. S. is willing to make unilateral and possibly impulsive decisions that affect its allies, and indicates a weakening of the U. S. commitment to defending South Korea. Inter-Korean rapprochement is a priority for the Moon administration, and though this particular action has the effect of relaxing tensions on the peninsula, future unilateral actions by the U. S. may do the opposite.
Japanese officials seem more concerned about the possible reduction of U. S. troops in South Korea than about the suspension of the joint military exercises.
“ I’m stunned,” one Japanese foreign minister reportedly said. “ This is going to affect Japan’s security significantly. We must confirm [Trump’s] intentions.”
The same minister said that in a recent meeting, U. S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis said a reduction of U. S. forces in South Korea would not be on the table in Singapore. This contradiction at best signals to Japan that U. S. government officials are not on the same page and at worst that the U. S. cannot be trusted to represent Japanese interests.
While Japan supports peace with North Korea, Japanese policymakers were blindsided and, it seems, troubled by Trump’s announcement.
