US cancels another joint drill with South Korea, cites Iran war-related force constraints
The allies remain in close consultations on resuming the drills
Source: The Business Times Singapore · August 24, 2026 at 7:03 AM · AI-assisted report
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KUALA LUMPUR, 24 AUGUST 2026 —
US Cancels Another Joint Military Drill with South Korea Amid Iran War Constraints
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KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 — The United States has cancelled a joint amphibious landing drill with South Korea scheduled for September, citing constraints on US forces due to the conflict in Iran, Seoul’s Marine Corps announced on Monday.
The division-level exercise, known as Ssangyong, was formally notified by the US Marine Corps in June that force availability would be limited, a South Korean Marine Corps spokesperson said during a press briefing. The allies are in close consultations to resume the drills, though no details were provided on measures to prevent future cancellations or compensate for lost training.
The cancellation follows US President Donald Trump’s earlier decision to scale back another annual joint military exercise, Ulchi Freedom Shield, which concluded on Aug 21. Trump cited cost concerns and Seoul’s refusal to participate in the Iran war as reasons for the reduction. He also stated on Truth Social that the drills sent an "inappropriate and hostile" signal to South Korea, which he described as unthreatening under his presidency.
Despite the scaled-back exercises, North Korea fired 10 short-range ballistic missiles last week and condemned the drills as rehearsals for invasion. Pyongyang has long opposed such joint military exercises between the US and South Korea.
Details not yet available on the impact of the cancellation on regional security dynamics or Malaysia’s defence posture.