South Korea calls for 'corresponding measures' from the North after military exercise with US suspended

The August U.S.-S. Korea joint military exercise has been suspended.

June 19, 2018, 9:17 AM

SEOUL, South Korea -- South Korea Tuesday confirmed the Pentagon's announcement of the suspension of a major joint military exercise in August and called for North Korea to reciprocate.

The U.S. Department of Defense and the South Korean defense ministry said the annual Freedom Guardian exercise would be suspended, and South Korea also said a separate emergency training drill supervised solely by the South, called the Ulchi exercise, was under review.

It is the first time the United States and South Korea have suspended the so-called war games since 1994.

PHOTO: U.S. army personnel and multiple launch rocket systems participate in a defense exercise at the Mugeon-ri drill field near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in Paju, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, June 19, 2018.
U.S. army personnel and multiple launch rocket systems participate in a defense exercise at the Mugeon-ri drill field near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in Paju, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, June 19, 2018.
Jeon Heon-Kyun/EPA via Shutterstock

South Korea’s Defense Ministry spokesperson Choi Hyun-soo Tuesday called for North Korea to respond with “corresponding measures,” though not providing specifics.

PHOTO: South Korean K-55 self-propelled howitzers artillery participate in a defense exercise at the Mugeon-ri drill field near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in Paju, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, June 19, 2018.
South Korean K-55 self-propelled howitzers artillery participate in a defense exercise at the Mugeon-ri drill field near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in Paju, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, June 19, 2018. According media reports on June 19, 2018, South Korea and the USA have decided to suspend the joint Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG) military exercise slated for August in a bid to maintain dialogue with North Korea.
Jeon Heon-Kyun/EPA via Shutterstock

The decision to suspend the August exercise was made under close cooperation between the United States and the South, as a way to maintain the momentum amid inter-Korean and U.S.-North Korea dialogue, Choi told reporters.

“The United States and South Korea, after working closely, concluded on suspending the defensive Freedom Guardian military exercise planned for August,” Choi said at a press briefing.

PHOTO: South Korean K-55 self-propelled howitzers artillery relocate after participating in a defense exercise at the Mugeon-ri drill field near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in Paju, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, 19 June 2018.
South Korean K-55 self-propelled howitzers artillery relocate after participating in a defense exercise at the Mugeon-ri drill field near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in Paju, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, 19 June 2018.
Jeon Heon-Kyun/EPA via Shutterstock

Seoul’s defense ministry made it clear that the suspension applies only to the Freedom Guardian exercise, which is jointly carried out by the United States and South Korean troops.

In contrast, the annual Ulchi is a weeklong emergency preparedness exercise supervised by the Ministry of Public Administration and Safety and has nothing to do with the U.S. troops.

Suspension of the Ulchi exercise “is under discussion, still undecided,” South Korean presidential office spokesperson Kim Eui-kyeom said during a briefing Tuesday.

Related Topics