Discussions under way on upcoming S. Korea-US combined exercise: defense ministry

The 2 sides normally maintain {the summertime} drill in August. Sources mentioned this 12 months’s train is predicted to kick off round Aug. 10 for a three-week run and take the type of a computer-simulated command publish train (CPX) with out outside drills.

Whether or not and find out how to go forward with the train has been a problem at a time when Seoul and Washington have been working to renew long-stalled talks with North Korea. Pyongyang has lengthy bristled at such mixed drills, branding them as a rehearsal for invasion.

“The timing, scale and actual methods of the upcoming train will not be but finalized,” ministry spokesperson Boo Seung-chan instructed a daily briefing when requested to verify some media experiences that the train shall be held in a scaled-back method.

“Discussions are additionally underneath means on an FOC take a look at,” he mentioned, citing the Full Operational Functionality take a look at, which is a step for the envisioned switch of the wartime operational management (OPCON) of the Korean troops from Washington to Seoul.

The 2 sides deliberate to conduct the take a look at final 12 months as a part of mixed coaching, however they failed to take action amid the pandemic.

The protection ministry earlier mentioned it’s going to consider numerous circumstances in figuring out particulars of the upcoming train, together with the COVID-19 scenario, peace efforts involving North Korea and the OPCON transition course of.

Some civic teams and specialists in Seoul name for its cancellation to advance the stalled denuclearization talks, however the South Korean and the US governments say mixed workouts are essential to make sure navy readiness, which is their high precedence, and joint packages are common and defensive in nature.

The 2 sides normally stage main mixed workouts twice a 12 months — in round March and in August, together with smaller-scale drills all year long.

This 12 months’s springtime program came about in March in a scaled-back method amid the pandemic.

Requested about any “uncommon” actions by North Korea at its Yongbyon nuclear complicated or the Sinpo shipyard, the Joint Chiefs of Employees (JCS) in Seoul mentioned that the South Korean and the US intelligence authorities are monitoring the scenario whereas sustaining shut coordination.

“At present, there may be nothing to say relating to the problem,” JCS spokesperson Col. Kim Jun-rak mentioned. “We’re additionally intently checking actions by the North’s navy, because it normally kicks off its summertime drills in July.” (Yonhap)