Washington regularly conducted large-scale military manoeuvers with the South Korean army until the first meeting of US President Donald Trump with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un last year. They were suspended at Trump's request to facilitate dialogue with Pyongyang and replaced by more limited exercises, but negotiations on the North Korean nuclear program have since stalled. Asked on Sunday whether the exercises would resume, Shanahan replied: "I don't think it is necessary." The acting secretary of defense added that the US forces in South Korea were already "prepared if diplomacy fails" with the North. However following the first summit between Trump and Kim in Singapore in June 2018, the US president said Washington would suspend the "very provocative" joint military exercises with South Korea.

Source: Bangkok Post June 02, 2019 16:30 UTC