USS Korea drills start
TONED DOWN Duration cut in view of thaw and possible USN Korea summit SEOUL:
The US and South Korea kicked off a low-key joint military drill on Sunday as a diplomatic thaw over North Korea gathered pace.
Tension on the flashpoint peninsula have showed signs of easing in recent months after the isolated, nuclear-armed North proposed summits with the South and their “imperialist enemy” the US.
The annual Foal Eagle drill -- a series of field training exercises involving some 11,500 American and 290,000 South Korean troops -- began on Sunday, Seoul’s defence ministry spokesman said. The drill -- which was delayed to avoid clashing with February’s Winter Olympics in the South -- will be held for a month in April, about half the time it usually lasts.
This year’s drills feature fewer strategic weapons like a nuclearpowered aircraft carrier, Seoul army said earlier. The deployment of such powerful weapons at past drills has frequently drawn an angry response from the North.
The two allies are also set to stage the annual Key Resolve drill -- a tabletop exercise using mainly computer-based simulations -- for the usual duration of two weeks beginning late April.
Pyongyang, which habitually slams the joint army drills between the South and the US as a rehearsal for invasion, has remained relatively quiet.
UN ANNOUNCES NEW STEPS AGAINST N KOREA
The United Nations Security Council has announced new measures against North Korea, blacklisting 27 ships, 21 shipping companies and one individual accused of helping the North evade previous sanctions.
The oil tankers and cargo ships on the list were banned from ports worldwide or would have their assets frozen, and the shipping companies will face an asset freeze.