Seoul, South Korea – South Korean National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lak stated on Sunday that his country is not considering modifying its joint military exercises with the United States. This comes as part of its efforts to resume stalled talks with North Korea.
Wei’s remarks came in response to a question about whether Seoul might reconsider its regular military exercises with Washington. The exercises were intended to help revive inter-Korean dialogue. Pyongyang rejected Seoul’s overtures during the first six months of President Lee Jae-myung’s term, which began in early June.
The drills are not a “talking card” at the moment.
During a press conference, Wei explained the South Korean position, saying: “If we want to resume dialogue, we have to consider the cards we can play. While there are many possible options, we are not directly considering using the joint South Korea-U.S. military exercises as one of those cards.”
Wi acknowledged that progress in inter-Korean relations has been limited. However, he pledged to continue efforts to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula and promised to resume dialogue with Pyongyang.
Seoul sticks to the decision based on security conditions
Last month, President Lee Jae-myung stated that a stable peace regime, one that eliminates the need for large-scale military exercises, would be desirable in the long run. However, Lee added that decisions regarding the exercises should be based on the evolving security situation, describing the issue as “the most sensitive matter” for North Korea.
It is worth noting that Pyongyang has consistently condemned the joint military exercises between Seoul and Washington, describing them as a “rehearsal for invasion,” while the two allies maintain that they are defensive in nature.
President Lee renewed his call for dialogue after Seoul proposed military talks aimed at clarifying the demarcation line between North and South Korea. This was intended to prevent unintended clashes near the border, but Pyongyang has yet to respond.
