Moon, Trump agree to suspend military drills during PyeongChang Olympics

By Bahk Eun-ji

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to delay their regular joint military drills during the Winter Olympic Games in February, the South Korean presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday.

The agreement came in a telephone conversation on Thursday between the two leaders.

The South Korean leader requested the tentative agreement, reports said.

“I believe if you could express an intention to delay joint South Korea-U.S. military drills during the PyeongChang Olympic Games if the North does not make more provocations, it would greatly help to ensure the success of the Olympics,” Moon was quoted as telling Trump.

In response to that, the U.S. president said Moon may tell North Korea that there will be no joint drills during the Olympics, Cheong Wa Dae said.

In the telephone conversation, the South Korean President said the government will consult closely with the U.S. in the process of South-North Korea dialogue and he is confident that South-North Korea dialogue helps create an atmosphere for dialogue between the U.S. and North Korea on resolving the North Korean nuclear issue.

Trump said the U.S. will provide any necessary assistance while holding dialogue with North Korea and added that his country supports President Moon 100 percent, Cheong Wa Dae said in a statement.

The call between Moon and Trump came one day after the two Koreas reopened their dialogue channel at the joint security area of Panmunjeom in a prelude to resuming government-level talks for the first time since December 2015.