South Korea to discuss 'adjusting' drills with US after snub by Pyongyang
Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said Pyongyang has no interest in ‘any policy or proposal put forward by Seoul’
ISTANBUL
South Korea will discuss “adjusting” its military exercises with the US after Pyongyang denounced the drills and accused Seoul of "blindly adhering" to its alliance with Washington, Seoul-based Yonhap News reported on Monday.
New Unification Minister Chung Dong-young confirmed to reporters that he plans to propose adjustments to the South Korea-US military exercises during discussions with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.
His remarks came hours after Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said Monday that Pyongyang is not interested in “any policy or proposal put forward by Seoul.”
“Looking at (the time) since Lee Jae-myung took office…(he) is no different from his predecessor in blindly adhering to the South Korea-US alliance and pursuing confrontation with us,” she said.
She emphasized that Pyongyang’s stance remains unchanged regardless of Seoul’s outreach efforts.
In response, Chung stated: “It is clear that the policy line of the Lee Jae Myung administration is different from that of Yoon. The policy approach to South Korea-US military exercises under Yoon will not be continued.”
He noted that the proposed adjustment will be a key topic at Tuesday's National Security Council meeting. The presidential office later said in a statement that a final decision would be made after consultations with relevant ministries, including those for unification and defense.
The development comes ahead of the annual large-scale Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise that will be conducted in mid-August between Seoul and Washington.
Since taking office last month, the Lee administration has signaled its intention to resume talks with Pyongyang in hopes of easing tensions and restoring inter-Korean cooperation.
