US President Donald Trump on Monday said he has had a “very positive” communication with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, while questioning why the United States should continue defending South Korea if Seoul is unwilling to support Washington in other conflicts.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump also complained that South Korea had not paid billions of dollars towards the cost of the US military presence there. Trump said he had recently asked South Korean President Lee Jae Myung whether Seoul would “give us a little hand” in the US war with Iran.

He said the South Korean president had replied: “No thanks.”

Trump then questioned the US commitment to South Korea, saying: “We have 39,000 soldiers over there guarding you from Kim Jong Un, your next-door neighbor, and you’re not going to help us on a very easy military operation in Iran. That’s strange.”

“I say, well, why are we involved in helping you?” he added.

The comments came hours after Trump announced on Truth Social that the US would substantially reduce its participation in long-planned military exercises with South Korea.

The exercises, known as Ulchi Freedom Shield, were due to begin shortly.

Trump said it was too late to cancel the drills entirely but directed Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to “substantially reduce” them.

“Based on my very good relationship with Kim Jong Un, of North Korea, I am not happy with the fact that the United States has, long ago, agreed to participate in Joint Military Exercises with South Korea,” he said. He described the exercises as costly and said they sent “a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile” to North Korea.

South Korea’s defence ministry said it would proceed with the exercises as “previously notified and scheduled”.

Trump Raises South Korea Payments

Trump also revived his complaints about the cost of the US military presence in South Korea. He said South Korea had agreed during his first term to pay close to $3bn a year for US protection, after he had initially asked for $10bn.

“South Korea has been protected by us for many, many years,” he said. “Next year would go up, and the next year would go up so they start paying for their protection.”

Trump complained that the Biden administration had not followed through on collecting the money.

The US and South Korea have maintained a mutual defence relationship since a treaty signed in 1953, following the Korean War. Around 39,000 US troops are stationed in South Korea.

Trump also said South Korea’s refusal to assist the US in Iran was part of the reason he was questioning the arrangement. “I want to help them, but you know, when you ask somebody, would you like to give us a hand, and they say no thanks, and then we’re guarding them from a country and paying ourselves billions of dollars,” he said.

Trump was also asked about criticism that reducing military exercises with South Korea could send a signal that he favours US adversaries over American allies.

He said he had been in contact with Kim and described the communication as “very positive”.

The two leaders met three times during Mr Trump’s first term, beginning with a historic summit in Singapore in 2018.

Trump also suspended major US-South Korean military exercises during his first term following that summit.

The latest move comes amid renewed tensions over the annual drills.

North Korea has repeatedly condemned the exercises and has carried out missile tests in response to previous military activity by the US and South Korea.

On Friday, Pyongyang threatened unspecified “stern” measures against Washington and Seoul, describing the drills as a “rehearsal for an aggressive war” that was increasing instability in the region.

North Korea has continued to expand its nuclear and missile programmes since diplomacy between Trump and Kim broke down in 2019.

Experts say Kim may view a larger nuclear arsenal as giving North Korea greater leverage in any future negotiations with the US.