# South Korean president renews call for military independence after Trump cuts joint drills

https://mins.news/en/item/24790

- The Guardian, 2026-08-18 05:50 UTC
- Politics
- Original: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/aug/18/south-korea-president-trump-military-drills-control-opcon-kim-jong-un

> South Korean president Lee Jae Myung has renewed his drive to regain wartime operational control of the country’s forces from the US and urged faster progress on nuclear-powered submarines. His remarks followed Donald Trump’s order to substantially reduce joint exercises and his praise for ties with Kim Jong-un.

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