South Korea said its joint military exercises with the United States began as scheduled on Monday, August 17, despite U.S. President Donald Trump calling for the drills to be significantly reduced.
The annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises will run until August 27 and involve around 18,000 South Korean troops.
Trump said the drills were too late to cancel but that he was unhappy the United States had agreed to hold them. He also criticized the exercises as costly and said they could send a hostile message to North Korea.
Trump pointed to his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, raising speculation that he may be trying to improve ties with Pyongyang.
The exercises are designed to prepare South Korean and U.S. forces for possible threats from North Korea, including drone attacks, GPS disruptions and cyberattacks.
Despite Trump's comments, South Korea's military confirmed that the drills proceeded as planned.
