S. Korea, US adopt flexible defense posture
Ulchi Freedom Guardian likely to be suspended
By Yi Whan-woo
South Korea and the United States are assuming a more flexible stance in their joint pressure against North Korea's military threats following the June 12 summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore.
Seoul and Washington are discussing possible suspension of their joint military exercises, after holding onto a decades-long view that such exercises are a key element for their alliance and a deterrent against Pyongyang.
Analysts said Friday such a surprising change in the allies' security stance is to boost momentum for detente on the Korean Peninsula as witnessed at the Singapore summit.
In their reciprocal concession in Singapore, Trump said he would halt the Seoul-Washington military exercises, which Pyongyang has denounced as a "rehearsal for invasion," while Kim promised to destroy a testing site for intercontinental ballistic missiles targeting the U.S.
"The U.S concession is a small yet right step toward North Korea's security guarantee as promised by Trump," said Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong Global University. "The two foes are expected to build their trust and help gain momentum for peace and denuclearization on the peninsula."
A senior Cheong Wa Dae official said Friday South Korea and the U.S. will announce a decision in the near future on whether to suspend the annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG) in August, adding the two sides have had discussions accordingly.
President Moon Jae-in Thursday also underscored a flexible change in military pressure and expressed his willingness to suspend the joint drills.
"Though nothing has been decided yet, we're going to announce a decision in the near future through close consultations between the South and the U.S.," the presidential official said. "We're going to continue to discuss the issue between the South and the U.S. and between the South and the North if necessary."
The official also said the U.S. and the North are expected to resume negotiations at an early date after the U.S. reviews the results of the summit with the North.
"Depending on the progress in those negotiations, we anticipate that talks about declaring an end to the war or replacing the armistice with a peace treaty will kick off at an appropriate time," he said.
Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, said he finds Cheong Wa Dae's step optimistic. "the North is expected to come up with more concrete step toward denuclearization," he said.
"This may also speed up efforts to sign a peace treaty to end the 1950-53 Korean War."
Seoul's Ministry of National Defense separately announced Friday a phone call the day before between Defense Minister Song Young-moo and U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis on whether to suspend the joint drills.
Harry Harris, a former commander of Pacific Command and the Trump administration's nominee for ambassador to South Korea, also supported suspension of the combined exercises, although he said North Korea's nuclear threat remains.
"Today, following the summit, we are in a dramatically different place," he said during the nomination hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Thursday. "The whole landscape has shifted. I believe we should give exercises, major exercises, a pause to see if Kim Jong-un is in fact serious about his part of the negotiations."
He added that, for the first time in his career, the world is in a place "where peace is a possibility," although he stressed the sanctions on North Korea should not be lifted.
China has been concerned about U.S. military expansion in the Asia-Pacific and also called for suspension of the joint drills.
And Huanqiu Shibao, a Chinese newspaper under the auspices of the People's Daily newspaper, said the suspension of the drills will lead to "a fresh peninsula."
By Yi Whan-woo
South Korea and the United States are assuming a more flexible stance in their joint pressure against North Korea's military threats following the June 12 summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore.
Seoul and Washington are discussing possible suspension of their joint military exercises, after holding onto a decades-long view that such exercises are a key element for their alliance and a deterrent against Pyongyang.
Analysts said Friday such a surprising change in the allies' security stance is to boost momentum for detente on the Korean Peninsula as witnessed at the Singapore summit.
In their reciprocal concession in Singapore, Trump said he would halt the Seoul-Washington military exercises, which Pyongyang has denounced as a "rehearsal for invasion," while Kim promised to destroy a testing site for intercontinental ballistic missiles targeting the U.S.
"The U.S concession is a small yet right step toward North Korea's security guarantee as promised by Trump," said Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong Global University. "The two foes are expected to build their trust and help gain momentum for peace and denuclearization on the peninsula."
A senior Cheong Wa Dae official said Friday South Korea and the U.S. will announce a decision in the near future on whether to suspend the annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG) in August, adding the two sides have had discussions accordingly.
President Moon Jae-in Thursday also underscored a flexible change in military pressure and expressed his willingness to suspend the joint drills.
"Though nothing has been decided yet, we're going to announce a decision in the near future through close consultations between the South and the U.S.," the presidential official said. "We're going to continue to discuss the issue between the South and the U.S. and between the South and the North if necessary."
The official also said the U.S. and the North are expected to resume negotiations at an early date after the U.S. reviews the results of the summit with the North.
"Depending on the progress in those negotiations, we anticipate that talks about declaring an end to the war or replacing the armistice with a peace treaty will kick off at an appropriate time," he said.
Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, said he finds Cheong Wa Dae's step optimistic. "the North is expected to come up with more concrete step toward denuclearization," he said.
"This may also speed up efforts to sign a peace treaty to end the 1950-53 Korean War."
Seoul's Ministry of National Defense separately announced Friday a phone call the day before between Defense Minister Song Young-moo and U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis on whether to suspend the joint drills.
Harry Harris, a former commander of Pacific Command and the Trump administration's nominee for ambassador to South Korea, also supported suspension of the combined exercises, although he said North Korea's nuclear threat remains.
"Today, following the summit, we are in a dramatically different place," he said during the nomination hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Thursday. "The whole landscape has shifted. I believe we should give exercises, major exercises, a pause to see if Kim Jong-un is in fact serious about his part of the negotiations."
He added that, for the first time in his career, the world is in a place "where peace is a possibility," although he stressed the sanctions on North Korea should not be lifted.
China has been concerned about U.S. military expansion in the Asia-Pacific and also called for suspension of the joint drills.
And Huanqiu Shibao, a Chinese newspaper under the auspices of the People's Daily newspaper, said the suspension of the drills will lead to "a fresh peninsula."
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