US pulls out of planned South Korea joint amphibious drill amid Iran conflict
South Korea says the United States has cancelled the upcoming Ssangyong amphibious landing exercise because force availability is limited by the war in Iran.
Han Seung-jeon, spokesperson for the South Korean Marine Corps, told reporters that the United States withdrew from the large-scale Ssangyong amphibious landing exercise scheduled for next month, citing limited force availability linked to the US-Israel conflict with Iran. The joint drills, held every two years, typically involve coordinated naval, air and ground maneuvers to sharpen combined marine capabilities. While the two allies continue talks about restarting the exercise, the Pentagon has offered no official statement.
This move comes after President Donald Trump ordered a reduction of the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, cutting them from eleven days to five and linking the decision to Seoul’s refusal to join the war on Iran. North Korea responded to the scaled-back drills by firing ten short-range ballistic missiles and condemning the exercises as invasion rehearsals. The broader regional tension underscores the challenges of maintaining joint military readiness amid shifting geopolitical priorities.
Why it matters
The cancellation signals how Middle-East conflicts are reshaping US-South Korea defense cooperation.
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