US Department of Defense: "Korea-US Exercises May Change Depending on Trump's Decision"

The U.S. Department of Defense stated that the schedule of the South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises could change depending on the judgment of President Donald Trump, according to a report by Radio Free Asia (RFA).

South Korea-US joint military exercises.

A U.S. Department of Defense official familiar with the South Korea-U.S. joint exercise plans told RFA on the 27th (Washington local time), "This year's South Korea-U.S. joint exercises are currently planned to proceed as scheduled," but added, "It could change depending on the impeachment situations of re-elected President Donald Trump and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol."

There are also speculations within President Trump's close circle that large-scale South Korea-U.S. joint exercises could be suspended, as during his first term, to negotiate again with North Korea.

Fred Fleitz, Deputy Director of the American First Policy Institute (AFPI), expressed his personal opinion to RFA on the 24th, stating, "If there is a possibility of good-faith negotiations with North Korea, temporarily suspending the exercises during the negotiation process would not be harmful."

Since taking office, President Trump has expressed in an interview with Fox News his intention to reestablish contact with Kim Jong-un, Chairman of North Korea's State Affairs Commission.

However, North Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement on the 26th of this month, referred to the South Korea-U.S. joint air force exercises conducted from the 21st to the 24th, and strongly opposed them, saying, "As long as the sovereignty and security interests of North Korea are rejected, we must respond with a thoroughly strong stance against the United States."

This has been analyzed as North Korea signaling to President Trump that if he wants dialogue, the joint exercises must be canceled.