South Korean President Moon Jae-in said in an interview with NBC News that "it is possible" that Seoul would curtail military drills with the US to reduce tensions ahead of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.
"I’ve made such a suggestion to the U.S., and the U.S. is currently reviewing it. However, all this depends on how North Korea behaves," the South Korean president said.
The announcement followed last week's report by the Financial Times newspaper, saying that Seoul has asked Washington to delay joint military exercises until after the 2018 Winter Olympics in the South Korean city of Pyeongchang to avoid potential "provocations from North Korea during the games.
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According to the media outlet, the US leadership is likely to accept the request and delay the so-called Key Resolve and Foal Eagle exercises, which are usually held in late February or early March,however, no official response has followed so far.
The situation on the Korean Peninsula has further escalated in the wake of Pyongyang's nuclear test and repeated missile launches conducted in violation of the UN Security Council's resolution, with the most recent ballistic missile test being conducted in late November.
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After the launch of a Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile, reportedly capable of traveling some 8,000 miles and reaching Washington DC., the United States and South Korea held massive military war games, which simulated a real life response to a hypothetical attack by North Korea earlier in December.
The United States and South Korea regularly hold joint military exercises, which are being perceived by Pyongyang as acts of aggression against the country. Russia and China have repeatedly condemned the United States over the war games and urged all the sides involved to refrain from provocations that may further escalate the situation on the Korean Peninsula.
