City
Epaper

'S.Korea, US to stage joint drills in adjusted manner'

By IANS | Published: January 02, 2020 11:48 AM

South Korea and the US will continue to stage their joint military exercises in an adjusted manner to support efforts for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, Seoul's Defence Ministry said on Thursday.

Open in App

The allies have either cancelled or scaled back joint drills since 2018 to back diplomacy with North Korea, reports Yonhap News Agency.

"We've maintained our stance that combined exercises with the US shall be adjusted in close coordination between the two sides in order to support diplomatic efforts for the denuclearization," Ministry spokesperson Choi Hyun-soo told reporters at a briefing here.

Asked about any plan to resume their springtime exercise that had usually been staged in March, Choi said she has "nothing to comment on the issue as of now", adding that details would be decided "in consideration of how things go".

Last year, Seoul and Washington decided to end their large-scale springtime Key Resolve and Foal Eagle maneouvers, and instead staged a modified command post exercise called Dong Maeng.

But local media have reported that the two sides have been reviewing an option to resume a field training exercise around March this year to add pressure on North Korea.

Amid stalled negotiations with Washington on its nuclear weapons programme, Pyongyang hinted at the resumption of nuclear and long-range missile tests, while warning of "a new strategic weapon" and "a shocking actual action".

The ountry has strongly denounced the joint drills, claiming that such a joint maneouver was nothing but a rehearsal for invasion into the North.

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: North KoreawashingtonYonhap News Agency
Open in App

Related Stories

InternationalBaltimore Bridge Collapse: Biden Administration Approves USD 60 Million in Aid After Francis Scott Key Bridge Disaster

InternationalBaltimore Bridge Collapse: Six People Presumed Dead After Ship Hits Bridge

InternationalN.Korean official calls for boosting ties with China

InternationalNorth Korea Fired Unspecified Ballistic Missile Toward East Sea, Says Japan

InternationalSouth Korean and US Warplanes Staged Joint Live-Fire Drills Against North Koreans

International Realted Stories

InternationalFires erupt in Ukraine's Kharkiv after overnight Russian attacks

InternationalIndian warship helps Pakistani crew onboard Iranian fishing vessel

InternationalHuman Rights Focus Pakistan President calls for renewed commitment to stand with labourers

InternationalJaishankar Rejects US President Biden’s Remarks, Says, “India Not Xenophobic, but Very Open and Welcoming”

InternationalUkraine attacks Crimea with long-range missiles: Russia