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Opinion | US, South Korea should ease up on their military drills to keep peace on the Korean peninsula

  • Intensifying US-South Korea military exercises provokes Pyongyang, raises tensions and risks a breakdown of the 2018 inter-Korean border agreement, when an environment for diplomacy and dialogue should be created instead

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News on TV on North Korea’s missile launch seen at the Seoul Railway Station on Saturday, as North Korea launched four ballistic missiles into the sea after the US sent two supersonic bombers streaking over South Korea, in a duelling display of military might that underscored rising tensions in the region. Photo: AP
Tensions have been high on the Korean peninsula for well over a month and things seem to continue going in the wrong direction. Further proof came on Monday morning, when North Korea vowed “sustained, resolute and overwhelming practical military measures” in response to US-South Korea military drills.
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Tensions reached new heights last week, when both Koreas fired missiles across the Northern Limit Line into each other’s territorial waters. After this, North Korea conducted a series of ballistic missile tests, including of a possible intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) last Thursday.

That same day, US defence secretary Lloyd Austin pledged to respond to any North Korean provocation by “employing US strategic assets to the level equivalent to constant deployment” in and around the Korean peninsula.

The Korean peninsula has been tense since September, when the United States and South Korea began their joint naval exercise. Tensions rose further after Japan was included. Just as the joint drills were starting, North Korea launched its first ballistic missile in a show of military force that is still going on.
Amid the North Korean weapon tests, the US, South Korea and Japan have pressed on with their military drills. This strategy is neither conducive to deterring North Korea nor to creating a safer and more secure region.
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Instead of scaling down tensions, the US and South Korea kicked off their largest joint air drills last week, despite North Korea’s repeated warnings against them.

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