North Korea crisis: US officials REFUSE to rule out MAJOR military drills in South Korea

The South Korean President claimed the earlier this week the US had agreed to consider postponing two training operations scheduled to take place during the PyeongChang Winter Games.

The 17-day event is set to take place just 50 miles from the heavily fortified frontier with the hermit state – well within range of Kim Jong-un’s arsenal of nuclear and conventional weapons.

The regime has repeatedly branded the joint US-South Korea drills as a rehearsal for invasion and threatened to attack American forces training too close to the border. 

But US officials have today distanced themselves from Moon Jae-in’s comments and refused to confirm any change in plans.

Pentagon spokesman lieutenant colonel Chris Logan told South Korean news agency Yonhap: “The United States and our allies and partners in the region have long conducted routine exercises to maintain readiness.

“But it would be inappropriate to discuss plans for future exercises at this time.”

In a televised interview earlier this week, South Korean leader Mr Moon said: “It is possible for South Korea and the US to review the possibility of postponing the drill.

“I have made such a suggestion to the US, and the US is currently reviewing.

READ MORE: US and South Korean troops carry out winter drill on North Korea’s doorstep

“It all depends on how North Korea behaves.”

However he added any delay would depend on whether North Korea conducted any nuclear or missile tests between now and the games. 

But when asked to comment on Mr Moon’s remarks, a White House National Security Council told Yonhap: “The United States regularly conducts exercises with our Republic of Korea ally in order to deter North Korean aggression and to ensure we are able to fight effectively in the event of war.”

This comes after a series of countries, including the United States and France, have publicly voiced concerns over the safety of the event, which is due to take place between February 9 and 25, followed by the Paralympics between March 9 and 19. 

Earlier this month, US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley signalled American athletes may not compete in the games if their security could not be guaranteed.

American forces regularly carry out exercises with their South Korean allies, as a show of force to the North and to ensure troops remain ready to “fight tonight”.

The two nations carried out their largest-ever joint aerial exercises in early December which involved more than 230 warplanes.