According to CoinMeta, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung stated that maintaining national peace is "the most important," but South Korea must be prepared for "the worst-case scenario." These remarks were made after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a reduction in joint military exercises with Seoul. Lee Jae-myung pointed out that the annual exercise, named "Ullchi Freedom Shield," is defensive in nature and not intended to attack North Korea or escalate tensions on the peninsula. The joint military exercises began on Monday and are scheduled to last until August 27, with approximately 18,000 South Korean troops participating. Lee Jae-myung also mentioned that North Korea has long condemned these joint exercises, referring to them as rehearsals for an invasion of the north.