Low-key U.S.-South Korea military drills ahead of North Korea summits

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Annual U.S.-South Korean military drills that infuriate North Korea will begin on April 1, the allies said Tuesday, but they will likely be more low-key than past years ahead of two highly anticipated summits among the countries’ leaders.This year’s drills were postponed during the Pyeongchang Olympics, which saw rare cooperative steps between the rival Koreas after months of confrontation over the North’s weapons programs. North Korea considers the exercises an invasion rehearsal and often conducts weapons tests in protest.After post-Olympics talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, South Korean officials said Kim indicated he would accept the maneuvers. Kim also offered to meet personally with President Donald Trump to discuss giving up his nuclear weapons on unspecified terms, and Trump quickly agreed to meet Kim by the end of May. Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in are to meet separately in late April.In a brief statement, the Pentagon said Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and his South Korean counterpart, Song Young-moo, agreed to go forward with the two sets of exercises, known as Foal Eagle and Key Resolve, “at a scale similar to” that of previous years. North Korea has been notified of the schedule “as well as the defensive nature” of the exercises, the Pentagon said.

Source: Low-key U.S.-South Korea military drills ahead of North Korea summits – Washington Times