The United States cancelled a joint amphibious landing drill scheduled for next month with South Korea in Seoul, the South Korean Marine Corps said Monday. Washington cited constraints on U.S. force availability because of the war in Iran. The allies are still in close consultations on resuming the drills, while the cancellation follows a separate reduction in annual joint exercises ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Marines from South Korea and the United States participate in Ssangyong (double dragon) exercise in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, March 29, 2023. Yonhap
The United States cancelled a joint amphibious landing drill scheduled for next month with South Korea, Seoul's Marine Corps said on Monday, after Washington cited constraints on the availability of U.S. forces due to the war in Iran.
The U.S. Marine Corps formally notified its South Korean counterpart in June that force availability would be constrained for the division-level exercise, known as Ssangyong, a South Korean Marine Corps spokesperson told a press briefing.
The allies remain in close consultations on resuming the drills, the spokesperson said. He did not specify what measures might be taken to prevent future cancellations or to make up for lost training opportunities.
