US to resume drills despite 'positive' intra-Korean talks

APD NEWS

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The United States plans to press ahead with potentially provocative joint military exercises with the Republic of Korea (ROK), a senior administration official said Tuesday, despite a possible diplomatic breakthrough with Pyongyang.

"After the Olympics and Paralympics, it is only natural that our routine defensive exercises will resume," the official said on condition of anonymity.

Washington had agreed to delay the massive joint "Foal Eagle" exercise until after the ROK-hosted Olympic Games, which end on March 18.

US Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon (R) and F-35A Lightning II fighter jets taxi at Kunsan Air Base in Gunsan, South Korea, December 3, 2017.

According to a source familiar with the matter, the new target date for the exercise is mid-May, after a planned summit between the ROK and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) – which has long sought to stop the maneuvers, claiming they are threatening.

The DPRK and ROK have agreed to hold a summit attended by their leaders late next month at the joint security area of Panmunjeom, South Korean President Moon Jae-in's top security adviser Chung Eui-yong said Tuesday on the outcome of his trip to the DPRK.

Pyongyang also expressed its willingness to hold "candid" talks with the US on ways to realize the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and normalize the countries' bilateral ties.

There would be no additional nuclear tests or ballistic missile launches by Pyongyang as long as the US-DPRK talks are in progress, according to Chung.

DPRK leader Kim Jong Un (R) shakes hands with South Korean chief delegator Chung Eui-yong in Pyongyang, March 5, 2018.

China, which calls for a peaceful resolution to the DPRK nuclear crisis through dialogue and negotiation, has repeatedly suggested a "double suspension" approach, urging the DPRK to suspend its nuclear and missile activities in exchange for the suspension of large-scale US-ROK military exercises.

Trump hails 'positive' intra-Korean talks

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the DPRK seems "sincere" in its apparent willingness to halt nuclear tests if it held denuclearization talks with the United States, noting that Pyongyang is feeling the pressure of sanctions.

"I think that they are sincere. And I think they're sincere also because of the sanctions and what we're doing with respect to North Korea (DPRK), including the great help that we've been given from China," he said at a news conference after meeting with Prime Minister Stefan Lofven of Sweden, which represents US interests in the DPRK.

US President Donald Trump holds a joint news conference with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven in the White House East Room in Washington, US, March 6, 2018.

Trump declined to say whether he had any preconditions for talks with Pyongyang. "I don't want to talk about it. We're going to see what happens," he told reporters.

He said that the US had "come a long way, at least rhetorically" with the DPRK and "statements coming out of South Korea (ROK) and North Korea (DPRK) have been very positive."

Nevertheless, US Vice President Mike Pence said the United States would continue to apply "maximum pressure" on Pyongyang and that all options were "on the table" until Washington sees evidence that the DPRK was taking steps toward denuclearization.

China urges all parties to 'seize the opportunity'

Commenting on the outcomes of the intra-Korean talks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang called on the DPRK and the ROK to "earnestly implement the relevant consensus" and make further efforts to advance reconciliation and cooperation.

"We hope that all relevant parties can seize the current opportunity, work for the shared goal and make concerted efforts to promote the process of denuclearization of the Peninsula and politically resolving the Korean Peninsula issue," he said on Tuesday.

China always supports "the efforts made by all relevant parties to address their respective legitimate concerns" through dialogue and consultation, he stressed.

(CGTN&AP&REUTERS)