Politics
08:50, 16-May-2018
DPRK casts doubt on Trump summit, suspends talks with ROK
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The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Wednesday threw into question an unprecedented summit between its leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump scheduled for next month, denouncing military exercises between the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the United States as a provocation and calling off high-level talks with Seoul.
A report on the DPRK’s official Korean Central News Agency attacked the “Max Thunder” air combat drills, which it said involved US stealth fighters and B-52 bombers, and appeared to mark a break in months of warming ties between the DPRK and the ROK and between Pyongyang and Washington.
DPRK leader Kim Jong Un and ROK President Moon Jae-in walk together on a bridge at the truce village of Panmunjom, April 27, 2018. /Reuters Photo
DPRK leader Kim Jong Un and ROK President Moon Jae-in walk together on a bridge at the truce village of Panmunjom, April 27, 2018. /Reuters Photo
The KCNA report called the air drills, which run from May 11 till May 25, a “provocation” that went against the trend of warming ties.
“This exercise, targeting us, which is being carried out across South Korea (ROK), is a flagrant challenge to the Panmunjom Declaration and an intentional military provocation running counter to the positive political development on the Korean Peninsula,” KCNA said, referring to a joint statement from an April 27 inter-Korea summit.
“The United States will also have to undertake careful deliberations about the fate of the planned North Korea (DPRK)-US summit in light of this provocative military ruckus jointly conducted with the South Korean authorities,” KCNA said.
ROK K2 tanks fire live rounds during a joint live firing drill between the ROK and the US at the Seungjin Fire Training Field in Pocheon, 65 kms northeast of Seoul, April 26, 2017. /VCG Photo
ROK K2 tanks fire live rounds during a joint live firing drill between the ROK and the US at the Seungjin Fire Training Field in Pocheon, 65 kms northeast of Seoul, April 26, 2017. /VCG Photo
The KCNA said that the "2018 Max Thunder" joint air combat exercise involves over 100 warplanes including "B-52" strategic bombers and "F-22 Raptor" stealth fighters, and is aimed at launching preemptive strikes against the DPRK as well as taking control of the airspace.
ROK: Regretful
The ROK expressed regret over the DPRK's unilateral decision, calling Pyongyang to resume dialogue as soon as possible.
"It is regrettable that the North (DPRK)'s unilateral move to postpone the high-level inter-Korean talks, citing the annual South Korea (ROK)-US air drills does not conform with the spirit and purpose of the agreements reached between the leaders of the two countries," said the ROK's unification ministry in a statement.
US: Trump-Kim Summit cont'd
Shortly after the report, the US State Department said it was continuing to plan for the summit between President Donald Trump and the DPRK's top leader Kim Jong Un scheduled for June 12 in Singapore.
US has not heard anything directly from Pyongyang or Seoul that would change the arrangements, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told a briefing in Washington.
On Sunday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the country would agree to lift sanctions on the DPRK if it agreed to completely dismantle its nuclear weapons program, a move that would create economic prosperity that would rival that of the ROK.
The DPRK said on Saturday it would dismantle its nuclear bomb test site some time between May 23 and May 25 to uphold its pledge to cease tests.
Source(s): Reuters
,Xinhua News Agency