South Korea said joint military war games with the United States ended early after a call from the US side. 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 pressure Seoul regarding Iran. Although cutting the joint drills gives the South Korean president what he wants, Seoul remains uneasy.
Discussions continue regarding giving Seoul a seat for short-range nuclear arms discussions. Meanwhile, South Korea is exploring options for a fresh money center away from packed Seoul.