South Korea and the U.S. End Spring Exercises 'to Support Diplomacy'

Washington and Seoul have announced that they will halt their spring military exercises, known as 'Foal Eagle' and 'Decisive Strike', to aid negotiations for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The South Korean state news agency reports that South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan decided during a phone conversation to end the two main spring exercises to 'keep the [nuclear] negotiations with Pyongyang alive, despite the halt of the Hanoi talks'. The Pentagon has also stated that the 'Decisive Strike' and 'Foal Eagle' exercises will be stopped to 'reduce tensions and support diplomatic efforts to complete the denuclearization process on the Korean Peninsula'. Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met in Hanoi, Vietnam, to discuss the North Korean denuclearization process. The two-day talks ended without a written agreement. While Trump claims progress has been made, he also noted that the two sides still have differing views on the issue of lifting extensive sanctions against North Korea and disarmament. On the other hand, North Korea has stated that it has presented a 'realistic proposal', which is not the lifting of 'all sanctions' but the lifting of UN Security Council resolutions. In any case, the South Korean government, which plays a significant role in advancing Washington and Pyongyang's negotiations, has been following the Hanoi negotiation process and its halt with concern. The South Korean presidential office previously stated that the halt of negotiations in Vietnam is a cause for concern but added that 'meaningful progress' has also been made. Seoul has also stated that it will continue its efforts to achieve a nuclear-free peninsula. The military exercises are among the issues that Pyongyang has repeatedly protested against and has previously conducted military and nuclear tests in response. U.S. President Donald Trump has also expressed criticism regarding his country's expenses in various parts of the world, including South Korea. At Washington's request, South Korea has agreed to pay more for U.S. military bases in the country for this year. The 'Foal Eagle' exercise is a major military drill between South Korea and the U.S. and is one of the largest exercises in the world. This exercise is of the 'FTX' type (field training exercises). The 'Decisive Strike' exercise is of the 'CPX' type (command post exercises) and focuses on the combat readiness of military personnel and staff.