U.S., South Korea set delayed military drills; North Korea urges end to pressure

[DonViejo]

Source: Reuters



NOVEMBER 4, 2018 / 7:51 AM / UPDATED 3 HOURS AGO

Josh Smith, Joyce Lee
3 MIN READ

SEOUL (Reuters) - The United States and South Korea will begin small-scale military drills on Monday that were delayed during talks with North Korea, days after Pyongyang threatened to restart work on its nuclear program if international pressure does not ease.

The Korean Marine Exchange Program was among the training drills that were indefinitely suspended in June after U.S. President Donald Trump met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Singapore and promised to end joint, U.S.-South Korea military exercises often criticized by the North.

A spokesman for South Korea’s Ministry of Defence confirmed a round of training would begin near the southern city of Pohang, with no media access expected.

About 500 American and South Korean marines will participate in the maneuvers, the Yonhap news agency reported.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-southkorea-military/u-s-south-korea-set-delayed-military-drills-north-korea-urges-end-to-pressure-idUSKCN1N90DS

[soryang]

1. The NK statement is a trial balloon from a lower level official

This story on the Pyongyang threat to resume work on the nuclear program and return to the byungjin policy comes from the Chad O'Carroll post on nknews.org. The statement coming from an academic institution can be discounted to a certain extent because it is speculation on what might happen or could happen being floated while the US and NK are negotiating details of a visit by a high level delegation to the US.

The O'Carroll story says the statement was "distributed" by KCNA but fails to give more information like a citation so others can find it.