South Korea said shared combat exercises with the United States stopped sooner than planned after a request from Washington. A South Korean minister stated that Donald Trump seems to be leaning on Seoul over money deals and Tehran ties. The South Korean foreign minister said scaling back the exercises was meant to push Seoul on Iran matters. Although cutting the joint drills gives the South Korean president what he wants, Seoul stays unsettled.
Talks keep going regarding giving Seoul a seat for short-range nuclear arms discussions. Meanwhile, South Korea is looking into paths for a new financial hub away from packed Seoul.