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SINGAPORE – The United States and South Korea have suspended another military exercise this year with the aim of giving the current nuclear talks with North Korea an opportunity to function, Pentagon officials said Friday.
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and his South Korean counterpart Jeong Kyeong-doo made the decision to postpone the exercise, called Vigilant Ace, at a meeting in Singapore.
Dana White, Pentagon press secretary, said the decision was made "to give the diplomatic process every opportunity to continue," she said.
The decision to suspend the exercise was made while the Trump administration continued its efforts to reach an agreement aimed at curbing Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions. Mr. Trump does not particularly like the exercises, partly because he says they are too expensive.
In June, without consulting the Pentagon, the president suspended important military exercises with South Korea after meeting with Northern leader Kim Jong-un. Two months later, Mr. Trump reprimanded his defense secretary when Mr. Mattis opened the door for the resumption of the exercises.
Mr. Trump rejected this idea and said in a tweet that he saw "no reason at the moment to spend large sums of money in joint war games between the United States and Korea." from South". He added that he could take them back "instantly" if he wanted to, and that if he did, the exercises would be "much bigger than ever before".
Vigilant Ace largely involves aerial maneuvers. Last year's exercises mobilized more than 200 fighter jets from the United States and South Korea. US military officials Do not like to suspend exercises because, they say, delaying them can affect military readiness.
Mr Mattis is in Singapore for a meeting of Southeast Asian defense ministers. While he was here, his meetings with Asian defense ministers were overshadowed by the fallout and speculation Mr. Trump had on Sunday when he asked if the defense chief would remain in office and said that Mr. Mattis was "sort of one, if you want to know the truth", during an interview with CBS '"60 Minutes".
Mr. Mattis later told reporters that Mr. Trump had called him to reassure him that he was "100%" behind the Secretary of Defense, but in Asia, it was Is asked how long Mr Mattis would stay.
