SEOUL, August 17. /TASS/. The armed forces of South Korea and the US began the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises on Monday, which are proceeding as planned, the Newsis news agency reported.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump stated that he had ordered a reduction in the scale of the exercises. However, according to the news agency, the exercises are proceeding as planned. Ulchi Freedom Shield is one of the two largest joint exercises between the US and South Korea on the Korean Peninsula.

This year, approximately 18,000 South Korean servicemen are participating. Authorities had previously noted that the scale of the maneuvers would be comparable to previous years. However, even before Trump’s statement, local media reported that the number of field training exercises as part of the drills had been reduced from 17 to 14.

Newsis also noted that the South Korean Defense Ministry has not received any official notification about the US leader’s statement. Ulchi Freedom Shield will take place on August 17-27.