Joint Military Exercise

[Anchor Lead]

U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis says the scale of the South Korea-U.S. joint military exercise Foal Eagle will be reduced. Here's more on the meaning of the decision, which comes amid the diplomatic standoff between Washington and Pyongyang.

[Pkg]

Four joint South Korea-U.S. military exercise programs have been suspended this year. But Washington has said so far that it has no plans to suspend any other military drills.

[Soundbite] James Mattis(U.S. Sec. of Defense (Aug. 28))

However, recently the U.S. secretary of defense came out saying that the Foal Eagle exercise will be scaled back. James Mattis said that the scale is being "reorganized to keep it at a level that will not be harmful to diplomacy." Many are wondering why Washington has come up with the decision at this point. Washington and Pyongyang have been at odds since high-level talks were postponed. Despite Pyongyang's demands to ease sanctions, Washington reiterated that the sanctions would remain in place, and early this month even resumed joint marine drills with South Korea. North Korea strongly blasted the move as a violation of the inter-Korean military agreement, with its leader, Kim Jong-un, resuming his inspections of high-tech weapons to demonstrate that the North refuses to silently obey the demands of the United States. Pundits say that Washington's decision to scale back the military exercise is aimed at maintaining dialogue with North Korea.