U.S. President Donald Trump instructed the Pentagon to ‘substantially reduce’ 10 days of joint military exercises with South Korea, citing Seoul’s refusal to join actions against Iran. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff told Reuters that military drills started on August 17 as scheduled, but declined comment on Trump's post. The annual Ulchi Freedom Shield joint military exercises are scheduled to run from August 17 to 27, with about 18,000 South Korean military personnel participating. The drills are expected to include operations to counter drones, disrupt GPS signals and cyberattacks to adapt to North Korea's evolving capabilities, officials said last week. In his social media post, Trump also cited his ‘very good relationship’ with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. #southkorea #usa #military #news