A joint military exercise will be put on hold to preserve stability during the upcoming Winter Olympics, according to South Korean media reports.
In a phone call Thursday, President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in agreed to delay the annual military drills, likely to maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula during the Olympics, which will be held in PyeongChang, South Korea in February.
North Korea tends to perceive the joint military exercises in the South as preparations for an invasion of the North.
The drills regularly provoke North Korea into conducting its own drills, which typically involve hostile military actions. In response to last year’s exercises, the North launched a salvo of Scud missiles into the East Sea/Sea of Japan, asserting that its forces were training to strike U.S. bases in Japan. Prior to that act of aggression, North Korea practiced striking a South Korean port.
Delaying the drills is likely to be perceived as an olive branch to North Korea, which expressed an interest in talking to South Korea earlier this week. The North and South spoke on the phone for the first time in two years Wednesday. During North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un’s New Year’s address Monday, he also indicated that he intends to send a delegation to participate in the Olympics. The U.S. and South Korea have been discussing postponing the drills for weeks, basing the decision on North Korea’s behavior, which some believe is improving despite North Korea’s frequent provocations last year and threats to continue in the year ahead.
While the Trump administration’s views of bilateral talks between the North and the South vary greatly, the president has stated that talks are a “good thing.”
The drills are expected to be delayed only for the duration of the Winter Games.
ALSO WATCH:
The Daily Caller News Foundation is working hard to balance out the biased American media. For as little as $3, you can help us. Freedom of speech isn’t free. Make a one-time donation to support the quality, independent journalism of TheDCNF. We’re not dependent on commercial or political support and we do not accept any government funding.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.