Seoul Says Scaling Back U.S.-South Korea Drills Could Be Discussed To Restart Talks With North Korea

South Korea's Unification Ministry said Monday that reducing the scale of U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises could be discussed under certain conditions as President Lee Jae Myung's administration seeks to reopen dialogue with North Korea.

Details

Ministry spokesman Yoon Min-ho told reporters that the possibility of adjusting allied drills could be raised "in the future, as conditions and circumstances allow." The suggestion has been floated as a potential bargaining chip to encourage Pyongyang back to the negotiating table.

"I believe these issues can be discussed in the future, as conditions and circumstances allow," Yoon Min-ho said at a press briefing.

President Lee said last week that Seoul was prepared to help Washington create "strategic leverage" for renewed talks, including discussing the downsizing of joint exercises — exercises that North Korea routinely denounces as rehearsals for invasion. "We will do our best to create objective conditions so that we can communicate and cooperate at any time," Lee said at a press conference with foreign media.

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young has also warned that reductions to the drills could become "inevitable" if Washington and Pyongyang are to hold a summit in the first half of next year.

Mixed Signals From Seoul

Despite those comments, the administration has sent mixed signals. National security adviser Wi Sung-lac said Sunday that scaling back exercises is not under active review. "While there are many possible options, we are not directly considering using the Korea-U.S. joint exercises as a card," he said.

"While there are many possible options, we are not directly considering using the Korea-U.S. joint exercises as a card," Wi Sung-lac said at a briefing.

Yoon did not directly contradict Wi on Monday but emphasized the wider geopolitical importance of the drills. "South Korea-U.S. joint exercises have important implications not only in military terms, but also in inter-Korean relations and the situation on the Korean Peninsula," he said.

Context And Implications

Seoul and Washington previously scaled back or suspended major drills during a period of détente in 2018–19, converting many large field maneuvers into command-post exercises as part of reciprocal confidence-building measures. Since taking office in June, the Lee administration has taken a series of conciliatory steps — including dismantling border loudspeakers and tightening restrictions on activist balloon launches — aimed at lowering tensions.

So far, North Korea has rebuffed those overtures, continuing to advance its nuclear and missile programs and deepening military ties with Russia. Any move to alter joint exercises would carry significant military, diplomatic and regional implications, affecting deterrence, alliance signaling and prospects for diplomacy with Pyongyang.