US ‘indefinitely’ suspends military exercises on the Korean peninsula
At the same time, Trump issues executive order extending ‘national emergency’ and reauthorising economic restrictions against Pyongyang
The US has indefinitely suspended select military exercises on the Korean peninsula in an effort to support denuclearisation negotiations with North Korea, the Pentagon announced on Friday.
It is a concession that analysts say aims to engender “good faith” on both sides as Washington and Pyongyang look ahead to further talks on the fate of the peninsula, after the historic meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore last week.
Dana White, chief spokeswoman for the Pentagon, said the move included “suspending Freedom Guardian along with two Korean Marine Exchange Programme training exercises scheduled to occur in the next three months”.
The decision follows Trump’s abrupt pledge to cancel joint military drills with South Korea after the Singapore summit.
The Pentagon’s announcement came after US Secretary of Defence Jim Mattis’ meeting on Friday with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Trump’s national security adviser John Bolton to discuss the Singapore summit.