South Korea must brace for ‘worst-case scenario,’ President Lee says, as Trump cuts military drills

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - JUNE 06: South Korean new President Lee Jae-myung speaks during a ceremony marking Korean Memorial Day at the Seoul National cemetery on June 06, 2025 in Seoul, South Korea. South Korea is marking the 70th anniversary of Memorial Day, in tribute of people who died during military service in the 1950-53 Korean War. (Photo by Jeon Heon-Kyun - Pool/Getty Images)Pool | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesSouth Korean President Lee Jae Myung said Tuesday that maintaining peace was "most important" for the country, but it needs to prepare for the "worst case scenario." His comments come after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to "substantially reduce" joint drills with Seoul so as to not "send a signal that is totally inappropriate and hostile" to North Korea.In a Truth Social post Sunday stateside, Trump cited his "very good" relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and described the country has "unthreatening and respectful."Lee on Tuesday said that the annual exercises, known as Ulchi Freedom Shield, are defensive and not intended to attack North Korea or raise tensions on the peninsula, according to a CNBC translation of the...