North Korea Responded to the Scaling Back of U.S. and South Korean Military Exercises
North Korea has stated that reducing the scale and duration of joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises does not change its stance on these maneuvers. Pyongyang continues to view the exercises as provocative and aggressive, which could complicate a potential resumption of diplomatic contacts between Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump.
The statement was made by Kim Yo-jong, the sister of the North Korean leader, in response to the Trump administration’s decision to scale back the annual U.S.-South Korea military exercises.
“We believe this is not worth commenting on, and we are not interested in it at all,” Kim Yo-jong said.
At the same time, she emphasized that reducing the duration and scale of the exercises would not affect Pyongyang’s position.
“The provocative, aggressive nature of the exercises will not change, even if their duration and scale are reduced,” added Kim Jong-un’s sister.
Kim Yo-jong also mentioned other military exercises that Washington and Seoul conducted earlier this year, as well as South Korea’s plans to develop nuclear submarines.
In addition, Kim Yo-jong denied any communication between Donald Trump and her brother.
This statement came after Trump reported that Kim Jong-un had responded to his recent message, calling the exchange “very positive.”
Thus, despite the scaling back of joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises, Pyongyang has not yet shown any willingness to stop criticizing the military cooperation between Washington and Seoul.
This was reported by Euronews.
U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a significant reduction in joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises, sparking concerns in Seoul about the reliability of American security guarantees, according to Al Jazeera English.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung stated that he respects U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to scale back joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises in order to create conditions for dialogue with North Korea.
