Politico has learned about the concern in Asian countries over Trump's words about North Korea and the exercises

Asian countries have begun to actively increase defense spending and seek new military partnerships amid the decisions of American President Donald Trump, including reducing joint exercises between the United States and South Korea and plans to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

"The Trump administration's dismissive attitude towards South Korea has forced America's allies in Asia to rethink how dependent they can be on the United States for defense, and to ask each other to reduce their dependence on Washington," the publication says.

In particular, South Korea is already looking for additional partnerships with other countries. President Lee Jae-myung, according to the newspaper, is discussing cooperation with Japan, the Gulf states and Africa.

Japan is also strengthening its own defense capabilities. In addition, the countries of the Indo-Pacific region are developing alternative formats of cooperation: Japan and the Philippines have signed an agreement in the field of military training, and India and Vietnam have launched an initiative for the joint production of weapons.

Enemy of the exercises: Trump ordered to reduce military maneuvers with Seoul

The US president has relied on good relations with Kim Jong-un.

On August 17, Trump instructed the Pentagon to "significantly reduce" joint military exercises with South Korea, citing their cost and Seoul's refusal to participate in actions against Iran. North Korea has condemned the joint military exercises, calling them a threat to security on the Korean peninsula and in the region.

A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry said on August 14, after the announcement of the exercises, that the joint military exercises were a rehearsal for an aggressive war and posed a threat to the DPRK's security. The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Kim Yo Jong, said that Pyongyang is not at all interested in the US decision to reduce the scale of joint military exercises with South Korea.