South Korea's presidential office Cheongwadae said on the 17th that it expects the relationship between the leaders of North Korea and the US to develop “meaningful” dialogue between North Korea and the US, and that discussions on promoting peace and stability on the peninsula will begin. South Korea will carry out necessary diplomatic efforts under close cooperation between South Korea and the US. Cheongwadae said that the South Korean government has taken note of the information posted by US President Trump on social media earlier, and South Korea and the US have always maintained close coordination on joint military exercises. The South Korean and US military are scheduled to hold large-scale joint military exercises on the “Eulji Freedom Shield” from the 17th to the 27th. Trump said in a social media post on the 16th that he has asked the US Department of Defense to drastically reduce the scale of joint military exercises between the US and South Korea. These military exercises are “extremely expensive,” a large part of which is borne by the US, and at the same time they send a “completely inappropriate and hostile signal” against North Korea. Trump also said that considering that he has a “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, he is “unhappy that the US agreed to participate in joint military exercises with South Korea a long time ago.”

South Korea's presidential office Cheongwadae said on the 17th that it expects the relationship between the leaders of North Korea and the US to develop “meaningful” dialogue between North Korea and the US, and that discussions on promoting peace and stability on the peninsula will begin. South Korea will carry out necessary diplomatic efforts under close cooperation between South Korea and the US. Cheongwadae said that the South Korean government has taken note of the information posted by US President Trump on social media earlier, and South Korea and the US have always maintained close coordination on joint military exercises. The South Korean and US military are scheduled to hold large-scale joint military exercises on the “Eulji Freedom Shield” from the 17th to the 27th. Trump said in a social media post on the 16th that he has asked the US Department of Defense to drastically reduce the scale of joint military exercises between the US and South Korea. These military exercises are “extremely expensive,” a large part of which is borne by the US, and at the same time they send a “completely inappropriate and hostile signal” against North Korea. Trump also said that considering that he has a “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, he is “unhappy that the US agreed to participate in joint military exercises with South Korea a long time ago.”