Politics

Seoul says will approach joint maneuvers with US in a ‘wise and flexible’ way

Seoul, Aug 2 (EFE).- South Korea said Monday it will approach the issue of joint military exercises with the United States, scheduled for this month, in a “wise and flexible” manner.

This statement comes after North Korea warned its southern neighbor that these maneuvers would undermine the recent rapprochement in the peninsula.

North Korea view the military maneuvers between the US and South Korea as a rehearsal for an invasion into its territory.

“The unification ministry – in charge of relations with North Korea – has consistently worked in a wise and flexible manner based on the stance that South Korea-US joint military drills should not be used as a chance to heighten tensions on the Korean Peninsula under any circumstances,” the ministry’s spokesperson Lee Jong-joo said at a press conference Monday.

Lee’s comment came after Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, issued a statement on Sunday warning of the possible negative effect these maneuvers following the resumption of communication between the two Koreas.

South Korea’s Defense Ministry spokesperson Boo Seung-chan, on his part, said Monday at another press conference they were yet to decide on when and how to stage the annual war games between Seoul and Washington.

“South Korea and the US are having close consultations taking into account related situations,” Boo said, according to Yonhap agency.

Last week, Pyongyang agreed to resume communication with Seoul, 13 months after suspending it in protest against the sending of anti-regime propaganda using balloons by activists from South Korea.

The resumption of communication channels has fueled hopes of progress in the inter-Korean dialog, as well as resumption of the North Korea-US denuclearization talks, stalled since the failed Hanoi summit in 2019. EFE

asb/sc

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