But Army Gen. Robert Abrams adds that move also was ‘prudent risk’ for effort to ‘change the relationship’ with North Korea
The U. S. general nominated to be the next commander of American forces in South Korea said the suspension of a major joint military exercise between the United States and South Korea has caused « degradation » to military readiness on the peninsula.
After an unprecedented summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un earlier this year, U. S. President Donald Trump announced Washington and Seoul would not conduct their annual Ulchi-Freedom Guardian exercise, one of the largest military exercises in the world.
« That’s a key exercise to maintain continuity and to continue to practice our interoperability, and so there was a slight degradation, » Army Gen. Robert Abrams said Tuesday at his Senate confirmation hearing.
The general added, however, that he felt the cancellation was a « prudent risk » for the effort to « change the relationship » with North Korea.
When asked by Democratic Senator Gary Peters how many large-scale exercises could be skipped before a « significant decline in readiness, » Abrams said it was « hard to judge. »
« If confirmed, this will be one of my top priorities when I get on the ground on the pen[insula] to do my own personal assessment, » Abrams said.
