US, S. Korea ‘discuss’ military drills amid Olympic worries
Seoul, (MILLAT ONLINE):The US military is reportedly in talks with South Korea on the timing of large-scale annual military exercises that always infuriate nuclear-armed Pyongyang and could coincide with next year’s Winter Olympics.
The Foal Eagle and Key Resolve drills usually start in late February or early March and involve tens of thousands of troops from the two allies, which say they are purely defensive.
The North, though, sees them as rehearsals for invasion, and they always ratchet up the already high tensions over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes.
Next year’s Winter Olympics take place in Pyeongchang in the South from February 9-25, followed by the Paralympics.
According to reports Seoul has asked Washington to delay the drills until after the Games to lower the chances of provocations by Pyongyang.
“The ROK-US alliance continues to discuss the way ahead on the exercises Key Resolve and Foal
Eagle, to include the appropriate timing,” said US Pacific Command spokesman Commander Dave Benham, Yonhap news agency reported Tuesday.