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Military drills

US Department of Defense confirms decision to discontinue joint drills with South Korea

The decision was made by South Korea's Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan during their telephone conversation on Saturday

© EPA-EFE/Olivier Douliery/POOL

WASHINGTON, March 3. /TASS/. The United States and South Korea have decided to conclude the Key Resolve and Foal Eagle joint military drills, the press service of the US Department of Defense said in a statement issued on Saturday.

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US, South Korea decide to end joint Key Resolve, Foal Eagle military drills — Yonhap

"Following close coordination, both sides decided to conclude the Key Resolve and Foal Eagle series of exercises," the press service said. The decision was made by South Korea's Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo and acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan during their telephone conversation on Saturday.

In their telephone conversation, Jeong and Shanahan "assessed the outcomes of the Summit between President Trump and Chairman Kim and discussed the further coordination of measures to establish complete denuclearization and lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, as well as steps to maintain the readiness of combined forces," the press service said.

"Secretary Shanahan reviewed the results of the US-DPRK Summit, and Minister Jeong expressed his regrets that a complete agreement was not reached while also noting his hopes for the US and the DPRK to continue further vigorous conversations based on the discussion results of the Summit," the press service added.

South Korea's Defense Ministry earlier said that Seoul and Washington decided to end joint military drills "Key Resolve/Foal Eagle" "to back diplomacy for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

The move followed the two-day summit in Hanoi between US President Donald Trump and Nortk Korean leader Kim Jong Un. After several meetings on February 27-28, Trump and Kim decided not to sign a joint document but agreed to continue dialogue.

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