The United States and South Korea have agreed to indefinitely suspend two exchange program training exercises, the Pentagon said on Friday, in the aftermath of the summit earlier this month between Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The exercise known as Freedom Guardian has already been suspended but two Korean marine exchange program training exercises scheduled for the next three months would also be put on ice, a spokeswoman said.

Regarding suspension of the exercises, South Korea’s defence ministry said: “South Korea and the US decided to delay two of KMEP (drills) indefinitely, which was going to take place within the next three months.

“This is a part of follow-up measures after the North Korea-US summit and South Korea-North Korea summit. There could be additional measures should North Korea follow suit with productive cooperation.”

At a news conference after the meeting with Kim in Singapore, Trump announced that he would halt what he called “very provocative” and expensive regular military exercises that the United States holds with South Korea. North Korea had long sought an end to the war games.

Earlier this week, the United States and South Korea said they were suspending planning for August’s Freedom Guardian exercise.

Last year, 17,500 American troops and more than 50,000 South Korean troops joined the Freedom Guardian drills, although the exercise is mostly focused on computerised simulations rather than field exercises.

A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, played down the significance of suspending the Korean Marine Exchange Program training exercises, saying they were relatively minor.

US defence secretary James Mattis met with secretary of state Mike Pompeo, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff General Joseph Dunford and Trump’s national security adviser John Bolton on Friday, the Pentagon said.

“In support of upcoming diplomatic negotiations led by Secretary Pompeo, additional decisions will depend upon the DPRK continuing to have productive negotiations in good faith,” she added.

Every spring, the United States and South Korea conduct Foal Eagle and Max Thunder drills, both of which wrapped up in May.

The decision to halt military exercises with South Korea baffled allies, military officials and lawmakers. The drills help keep US forces at a state of readiness in one of the world’s most tense flash points. </s> Barely a month after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he "couldn't rule out" US forces physically boarding ships caught violating US sanctions against North Korea, RT is reporting that, despite the recent thaw in relations between the US, South Korea and North Korea, the annual "Foal Eagle" and "Key Resolve" joint military exercises involving US and South Korea forces will begin April 1.

Signs of a breakthrough in North-South relations ahead of last month's Winter Olympics prompted the US to postpone the drills, which typically elicit a vehement condemnation from the North, as well as threats of retaliation.

But now that the Games are over, the Pentagon said the planned drills will resume as scheduled - despite North Korea's offer to freeze its missile and nuclear tests ahead of a meeting between Kim Jong Un and President Donald Trump, which Trump hastily agreed to earlier this month.

South Korea's Ministry of National Defense confirmed as much to Yonhap.

The exercises are expected to conclude toward the end of May, the Pentagon said.

The North Koreans have been notified about the drills by the United Nations Command. The Pentagon emphasized that the drills are not a response to a specific North Korean action.

Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Logan, a Pentagon spokesman, confirmed that the drills would involve about 23,000 troops and 300,000 members of the South Korean military.

After a round of successful negotiations with South Korea, Kim sent a letter that was hand-delivered to Trump by a South Korean delegation inviting him to engage in direct talks.

Trump agreed to meet with Kim "sometime in May", ignoring pleas from diplomats and Pentagon officials that honoring the request would "legitimize" North Korea in the eyes of the world.

South Korea has assured the US that the North is "committed to denuclearization" of the Korean peninsula. Until this latest salvo, the North had insisted that it would never give up its nukes under any circumstances, while the US insisted that denuclearization would be a precondition for any lifting of sanctions.

Surprisingly, the North Korean leader suggested he'd be willing to countenance the latest round of military drills, even as the US offered no concessions in return.

A North Korea expert at the University of Chicago warned Tuesday that the US shouldn't believe the North when it says it would consider giving up its nukes, according to Yonhap.

So, what do you think? Is North Korea trying to lure Trump into a diplomatic trap with the ultimate aim of embarrassing the US? Or have the many rounds of economic sanctions imposed against the regime finally started to work? </s> • President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the US and South Korea would stop joint military drills after meeting Kim Jong Un.
• But the Pentagon and South Korea haven’t heard anything about it, even though China apparently has.
• US military forces in Korea have not received any direction to cease joint military drills, a spokesman said on Tuesday.
• The US has long resisted calls to suspend military drills, even when offered a freeze in North Korean missile and nuclear testing in return.
• It traditionally asserted that bilateral, planned, and transparent military drills are legal while North Korea’s nuclear program is not.

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday after meeting with Kim Jong Un that the US and South Korea would stop military drills – but it appears China knew about it before the Pentagon did.

US military forces in Korea have not received any direction to cease joint military drills, a spokesman said on Tuesday, Reuters notes.

The South Korean military issued a statement to NBC News saying: “Regarding President Trump’s comment regarding ending of the combined military drills..We need to find out the exact meaning or intention behind his comments at this point.”

Meanwhile, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said “Our suspension for suspension process is right and has been realised,” a BBC correspondent in China reported.

The US has long resisted calls from North Korea and China for a “suspension for suspension,” whereby the US would stop military drills in exchange for a freeze in North Korean missile and nuclear testing.

Historically, the US has asserted that the bilateral, planned, and transparent military drills are legal while North Korea’s nuclear program is not, so it would be blackmail to suspend them for Pyongyang.

“USFK has received no updated guidance on execution or cessation of training exercises – to include this fall’s schedule Ulchi Freedom Guardian,” US Forces in Korea Lt. Col. Jennifer Lovett said in a statement seen by Reuters.

“In coordination with our ROK partners, we will continue with our current military posture until we receive updated guidance from the Department of Defense (DoD) and/or Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM).”

This is not the first time an announcement from Trump has caught the military off-guard. When Trump tweeted that transgender US citizens wouldn’t be allowed to serve in the military, the Pentagon also had received no guidance. </s> President Trump's pledge Tuesday to suspend joint U.S. military exercises with South Korea will be a welcome concession to North Korea, which has frequently complained that the drills are a preparation for war.

But halting the annual exercises would not represent a major sacrifice for the United States, which has suspended the military drills before in an effort to lessen tensions on the peninsula. They can be restarted quickly.

Most recently the Pentagon agreed to delay planned military exercises during the Olympics, which were held in South Korea, after the North agreed to participate. The exercises were held after the Winter Games ended.

The drills were also suspended between 1994 and 1996 in an attempt to improve conditions during diplomatic talks with North Korea. The diplomatic efforts ultimately failed and the exercises resumed.

Trump said he would halt the exercises during a news conference after his summit with Kim. He termed the exercises "provocative.'

"This would be a substantial concession to North Korea's security concerns," said Alison Evans, an analyst at IHS Markit, a firm that tracks security issues.

The military exercises, which often involve ships, aircraft and thousands of troops have been conducted for decades on the Korean Peninsula.

The Pentagon has said they are critical to maintain the readiness of U.S. and South Korean forces, which could be called on to defend against an attack from North Korea, which has an active duty force of one million troops and thousands of artillery pieces and rocket launchers aimed at the South.

In a news conference after the summit Trump suggested suspending them would be a cost-saving measure.

"We will be stopping the war games, which will save us a tremendous amount of money, unless and until we see the future negotiation is not going along like it should," Trump said.

It's not clear how South Korea and other U.S. allies in the region will react to the suspension of exercises. South Korean President Moon Jae-in has been pushing the United States and North Korea to reconcile their differences and may be sympathetic to the overture.

But many South Korean officials and other regional leaders may see the move as a lessening of military commitment to the region. The United States has more than 30,000 troops based in South Korea.

"South Koreans and the Japanese were taken aback by the president's statement," said Victor Cha, an analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Trump may also have raised concerns when he said he would like the American troops in South Korea to "come home," but there were no plans to do so now.

"That's not part of the equation right now," Trump said. "At some point, I hope it will be, but not right now."

The Pentagon in a statement said it "welcomes the positive news coming out of the summit and fully supports the ongoing, diplomatically-led efforts" with North Korea.

"Our alliances remain ironclad, and ensure peace and stability in the region," the statement said. </s> WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and South Korea have agreed to indefinitely suspend two exchange programme training exercises, the Pentagon said on Friday, in the aftermath of the summit earlier this month between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

"To support implementing the outcomes of the Singapore Summit, and in coordination with our Republic of Korea ally, Secretary Mattis has indefinitely suspended select exercises," Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said.

"This includes suspending FREEDOM GUARDIAN along with two Korean Marine Exchange Program training exercises scheduled to occur in the next three months," White said.

At a news conference after the meeting with Kim in Singapore, Trump announced that he would halt what he called “very provocative” and expensive regular military exercises that the United States holds with South Korea. North Korea had long sought an end to the war games.

Earlier this week, the United States and South Korea said they were suspending planning for August's Freedom Guardian exercise.

Last year, 17,500 American troops and more than 50,000 South Korean troops joined the Freedom Guardian drills, although the exercise is mostly focused on computerized simulations rather than field exercises.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, played down the significance of suspending the Korean Marine Exchange Program training exercises, saying they were relatively minor.

Jim Mattis met with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford and Trump's national security adviser John Bolton on Friday, White said.

"In support of upcoming diplomatic negotiations led by Secretary Pompeo, additional decisions will depend upon the DPRK continuing to have productive negotiations in good faith," she added.

Every spring, the United States and South Korea conduct Foal Eagle and Max Thunder drills, both of which wrapped up in May.

The decision to halt military exercises with South Korea baffled allies, military officials and lawmakers. The drills help keep U.S. forces at a state of readiness in one of the world’s most tense flashpoints.

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. </s> The United States and South Korea have agreed to indefinitely suspend two exchange program training exercises, the Pentagon said on Friday, in the aftermath of the summit earlier this month between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

"To support implementing the outcomes of the Singapore Summit, and in coordination with our Republic of Korea ally, Secretary Mattis has indefinitely suspended select exercises," Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said.

"This includes suspending FREEDOM GUARDIAN along with two Korean Marine Exchange Program training exercises scheduled to occur in the next three months," White said.

Regarding suspension of the exercises, South Korea's defense ministry said, "South Korea and the US decided to delay two of KMEP (drills) indefinitely, which was going to take place within the next three months.

"This is a part of follow-up measures after the North Korea-US summit and South Korea-North Korea summit. There could be additional measures should North Korea follow suit with productive cooperation.â€

At a news conference after the meeting with Kim in Singapore, Trump announced that he would halt what he called â€œvery provocativeâ€ and expensive regular military exercises that the United States holds with South Korea. North Korea had long sought an end to the war games.

This week, the United States and South Korea said they were suspending planning for August's Freedom Guardian exercise.

Last year, 17,500 American troops and more than 50,000 South Korean troops joined the Freedom Guardian drills, although the exercise is mostly focused on computerized simulations rather than field exercises.

A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, played down the significance of suspending the Korean Marine Exchange Program training exercises, saying they were relatively minor.

Jim Mattis met with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford and Trump's national security adviser John Bolton on Friday, White said.

"In support of upcoming diplomatic negotiations led by Secretary Pompeo, additional decisions will depend upon the DPRK continuing to have productive negotiations in good faith," she added, referring to North Korea.

Every spring, the United States and South Korea conduct Foal Eagle and Max Thunder drills, both of which wrapped up in May.

The decision to halt military exercises with South Korea baffled allies, military officials and lawmakers. The drills help keep US forces at a state of readiness in one of the world‘s most tense flashpoints.

At the Singapore talks, North Korea also agreed to allow the recovery of the remains of soldiers who went missing in action during the Korean War.

On Saturday, the US military began moving caskets to North Korea for the recovery of some remains, the U.N. Command in South Korea said in a statement. </s> The United States and South Korea have agreed to indefinitely suspend two exchange programme training exercises, the Pentagon said on Friday, in the aftermath of the summit earlier this month between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Jim Jong Un.

“To support implementing the outcomes of the Singapore Summit, and in coordination with our Republic of Korea ally, Secretary Mattis has indefinitely suspended select exercises,” Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White said on Friday.

“This includes suspending FREEDOM GUARDIAN along with two Korean Marine Exchange Program training exercises scheduled to occur in the next three months,” White said.

At a news conference after the meeting with Kim in Singapore, Trump announced that he would halt what he called “very provocative” and expensive regular military exercises that the United States holds with South Korea. North Korea had long sought an end to the war games.

Earlier this week, the United States and South Korea said they were suspending planning for August’s Freedom Guardian exercise.

James Mattis met with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford and Trump’s national security adviser John Bolton on Friday, White said.

“In support of upcoming diplomatic negotiations led by Secretary Pompeo, additional decisions will depend upon the DPRK continuing to have productive negotiations in good faith,” she added.

Every spring, the United States and South Korea conduct Foal Eagle and Max Thunder drills, both of which wrapped up in May.

The decision to halt military exercises with South Korea baffled allies, military officials and lawmakers. The drills help keep U.S. forces at a state of readiness in one of the world’s most tense flashpoints </s> SEOUL, Korea, Republic Of -- South Korea and the U.S. are ending their massive springtime military drills as part of efforts to support diplomacy aimed at resolving the North Korean nuclear crisis.

The decision announced by both countries Sunday came three days after a high-stakes summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Vietnam without any agreement.

The Pentagon says the U.S. and South Korean defence chiefs decided to conclude the Key Resolve and Foal Eagle series of exercise.

It says the allies agreed to maintain firm military readiness through newly designed command post exercises and revised field training programs.

North Korea has called the allies' drills an invasion rehearsal and responded with its own costly military exercises. </s> SINGAPORE (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the United States was stopping “very provocative” and costly military exercises with South Korea to facilitate denuclearization negotiations with North Korea.

The United States and its ally South Korea hold regular military exercises to the fury of North Korea, which has long seen the drills as preparations to invade it.

“The war games are very expensive, we pay for the majority of them,” Trump told a news conference in Singapore after a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

“Under the circumstances, that we’re negotiating ... I think it’s inappropriate to be having war games.”
South Korea says that it will halt military drills with the United States to help with Korean denuclearization talks.