Seoul should postpone military exercises with the US in the hopes of drawing North Korea back into talks, the South Korean politician set to take over responsibility for relations with Pyongyang said on Thursday. South Korean President Moon Jae-in wants to get dialogue with the North back on track after negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang on its nuclear program broke down.
Lee In-young, who has been nominated as South Korea’s next unification minister, said postponing – or at least scaling back – the exercises, which are due to start next month, might convince North Korea to reconsider negotiations, Reuters reports.
“If the exercises take place as planned, North Korea’s backlash will be strong, but if they are completely postponed, it might take it as a fresh message,” Lee told a parliamentary confirmation hearing. “If we can show flexibility by scaling it back by around half or moving its location further south, North Korea would respond accordingly.”
Washington and Seoul are discussing the scale and timing of the annual drills now that the coronavirus has disrupted the travel of US troops.