Allies to carry out low-key joint exercises this March

Seoul and Washington will likely resume their large-scale joint exercises in March but will keep them low-key in line with the ongoing inter-Korean detente, according to the Ministry of National Defense, Wednesday.

The ministry said the allies have reached a tentative agreement to carry out the Key Resolve computerized command post drill for about two weeks in March.

The first part of the annual practice is scheduled to take place for nine days starting March 4, according to officials. Both sides will complete the drill after ending a two-day second part from March 14.

The two sides are also in talks to downsize the drill — last year, more than 12,000 U.S. troops took part.

But officials said there is still a chance both sides may change their plans, depending on the results of an anticipated Washington-Pyongyang summit, expected to take place in the near future.

“Defense chiefs from the two countries are still holding discussion to confirm a schedule for the joint exercises, and will confirm it soon,” an official from the ministry said.

The military authorities are also expected to discuss scaling down the Foal Eagle combined field exercise, which takes place in April each year, and even consider rescheduling it.

“Major political events, such as a the upcoming summit, may change the schedule, so it remains to be seen whether Seoul and Washington will carry out the drills,” the official said.

All eyes are on whether U.S. President Donald Trump can sign a big deal with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at their anticipated second summit. Trump has outwardly expressed complaints over the Seoul-Washington joint exercises, saying he hopes to downsize or even cancel them due to his dissatisfaction with the cost-sharing agreement between the South and the U.S.

North Korea also views the joint exercises as the biggest existential threat to its regime, urging Seoul and Washington to put a complete end to any exercises if they want to expand the ongoing inter-Korean peace process.

Taking into account the North’s protests against the allies’ joint exercises, the U.S. and the South suspended large-scale drills last year when Trump held the first historic summit with Kim.

With both sides reaching a series of broad agreements for peace on the Korean Peninsula, the allies halted the Ulchi Freedom Guardian command post exercise scheduled for last August, among others.

The decision came as part of efforts not to provoke North Korea at a time when the regime offered a rare gesture for peace by pledging to denuclearize the peninsula.

In his New Year address, Kim reaffirmed his strong determination to continue holding dialogue with Trump and take appropriate steps for peace. However, he pressed Seoul and Washington to end the drills, which he called the “root cause” of tension on the peninsula.