South Korean minister says Trump may be pressuring Seoul over Iran, US investment

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Wednesday that US President Donald Trump’s decision to reduce joint military exercises appeared partly aimed at pressuring Seoul to support Washington’s efforts related to the Iran war, while also addressing unresolved issues such as investment.

Cho said Trump’s message appeared to cover several outstanding issues with South Korea, as well as sending a signal to North Korea and seeking to break the deadlock over the Iran conflict.

He pointed to Seoul’s $350 billion investment commitment in the United States, agreed under a trade deal last year, as a possible area of friction. South Korea has yet to finalize details of the investment plan, though Cho said Washington had provided a proposal outlining potential projects.

Cho explained that Seoul had moved cautiously due to concerns over commercial viability, legal procedures and other unexpected challenges.

Meanwhile, South Korea and the United States announced Wednesday that their annual military exercises would be shortened from 11 days to five, with some field training also reduced, following Trump’s call for a significant cut in US participation.

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said the move could indicate that Trump is seeking to create conditions for another meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, as Pyongyang has long opposed the joint drills.