Trump pledged to end ‘war games’ at summit with Kim Jong-un but drills could restart if North Korea fails to denuclearise
South Korea and the US are expected to announce the suspension of “large-scale” military drills next week, with the provision that they will restart if North Korea fails to keep its promise to denuclearise, a South Korean news agency said on Sunday.
Citing an unnamed government source, the Yonhap agency said the suspension was likely to affect only major joint exercises, not more routine military training.
Donald Trump surprised officials in Seoul and Washington after his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore last week, when he pledged to end “war games” .
Immediately after the announcement, US forces in Korea said they had received no guidance on stopping any drills and South Korean officials said they were trying to figure out which exercises Trump was referring to.
At a Senate hearing on Thursday, Trump’s nominee to be ambassador to South Korea, the retired admiral Harry Harris, backed the idea of a “pause” in major military exercises. He said his understanding was that any suspension would involve only major military exercises and that regular training of US forces in South Korea would continue, although final decisions were up to the Department of Defense.
Trump said via Twitter on Sunday that it was his initiative to suspend military drills – a step North Korea has long sought.
“Holding back the ‘war games’ during the negotiations was my request because they are VERY EXPENSIVE and set a bad light during a good faith negotiation,” the US president wrote. “Also, quite provocative. Can start up immediately if talks break down, which I hope will not happen!”
Trump also tweeted a defence of widespread criticism of the summit, his apparent concessions to Kim and his praise of the authoritarian leader.
