South Korea will conduct military exercises amidst stalled exercises with the United States

SEOUL: South Korea will hold two military exercises next week as part of a loosening of relations with North Korea, which prompted Seoul and Washington to suspend joint exercises with the United States to boost nuclear negotiations.

The Allies agreed last week to halt Vigilant Ace air defense drills scheduled for December after postponing Ulchi Freedom Guardian's key annual drills in August.

This initiative aimed to give the current nuclear negotiations between the United States and North Korea "every chance to continue," said the Pentagon.

In order to maintain readiness for defense and strengthen ties within the military, South Korea has decided to carry out Taeguk and Hoguk exercises, said its chief of defense. Staff (JCS).

The Taeguk is a command post exercise that will run from Monday to Friday and the Hoguk field exercise will begin on Monday for a two-week run around the South Han River, east of the capital Seoul. .

"This year's exercise is about maintaining a balanced defense posture and improving the effects of the practice, considering the suspension of the Ulchi Freedom Guardian," the JCS said in a statement.

The defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States will meet in Washington on Wednesday for their annual security consultative meeting. They should formally announce the suspension of Vigilant Ace air defense drills.

On Friday, military generals from North and South Korea held talks in the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), the latest development of their fast-growing links.

Both sides are likely to discuss reestablishing a joint military commission in accordance with the military pact reached at last month's summit in Pyongyang.

The agreement provides for the cessation of "all hostile acts" around the border, including military exercises, a no-fly zone and the gradual withdrawal of guard posts, weapons and mines antipersonnel in the demilitarized zone.

As part of efforts to implement the agreement, the two Koreas completed Thursday the removal of guard posts and firearms in the Panmunjom Joint Security Zone, Seoul Defense Ministry said.

(Report by Hyonhee Shin, edited by Michael Perry)