US, South Korea May Decide Joint Drills Future in July, Seoul Says

TOKYO (Sputnik) - The United States and South Korea may decide next month whether to stop their joint war games to create favorable conditions for North Korea’s nuclear disarmament, the South’s military said.

US President Donald Trump made the surprise announcement he would halt the Ulchi Freedom Guardian combined exercises, held every August, after this Tuesday’s nuclear talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

"This issue is being explored at the request of the [South Korean] president," the South’s Defense Ministry said in a statement. "A decision can be expected in July."

The US move to call off the drills was discussed in a Thursday phone call between US Secretary of Defense James Mattis and South Korea’s National Defense Minister Song Young-moo, the Pentagon said, adding Mattis assured his counterpart of their nations' "ironclad" alliance.