IS ON S. KOREA-US JOINT DRILLS

[Anchor Lead]

South Korea's spy agency chief says the restoration of the inter-Korean communication line was done at the request of the North Korean leader. The National Intelligence Service added that if the South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises scheduled for this month are suspended, Pyongyang will likely take reciprocal measures.

[Pkg]

​In June last year North Korea unilaterally cut off the inter-Korean communication line. The NIS said on Tuesday that the line was restored recently at the request of Kim Jong-un. Pundits say that Pyongyang is trying to gain the upper hand by accepting Seoul’s request to restore the line, which was the South's top priority.

[Soundbite] Hong Min(Korea Institute for National Unification) : "Pyongyang seems strongly determined to take control over issues on the Korean Peninsula and manage them in a stable way. As the first step, it’s trying to create the atmosphere of reconciliation between the two Koreas."

The NIS has also offered its analysis of Kim Yo-jong’s demand that the South Korea-U.S. joint military drills be suspended. The demand came five days after the communication line was restored. The spy agency says the North wants to solve the issue of joint military drills first. It adds that if the exercises are suspended, Pyongyang will likely take reciprocal measures to mend inter-Korean ties. Following the collapsed North Korea-U.S. summit in Hanoi, the regime defined its relations with Seoul as “hostile.” With the restoration of the line, the North seems to be using it as a foundation for its next move. NIS chief Park Jie-won is calling for a flexible approach to the joint military drills.

[Soundbite] Kim Byung-ki(National Assembly Intelligence Committee) : "NIS chief Park says a flexible approach should be considered toward South Korea-U.S. military exercises in order to keep up the momentum for dialogue and encourage North Korea’s denuclearization."

The main opposition People Power Party blasted Park for trying to please Pyongyang and demanded the military exercises be held as planned. The ruling Democratic Party says it agrees with the PPP.