The U.S. and South Korea said on Sunday that large joint military exercises between the two nations will end as part of a push toward denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula.
The Pentagon said in a statement that acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan and his South Korean counterpart, Minister of National Defense Jeong Kyeong-doo, “decided to conclude” the Key Resolve and Foal Eagle exercises and will instead stage smaller drills.
“The Minister and Secretary made clear that the Alliance decision to adapt our training program reflected our desire to reduce tension and support our diplomatic efforts to achieve complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a final, fully verified manner,” the Pentagon said.
The two nations will “maintain firm military readiness through newly designed Command Post exercises and revised field training programs,” the Pentagon added.
A similar statement was issued by South Korea’s Defense Ministry, The Associated Press reported.- READ MORE