This June 5, 2017 photo shows the Republic of Korea President Moon Jae-In during a ceremony to mark Korean Memorial Day at the National Cemetery in Seoul. An advisor to President Moon hinted at cutting joint war games with the US if Pyongyang stops nuclear and missile activities. (Jung Yeon-Je / AFP)
SEOUL – A special advisor to the Republic of Korea (ROK) President Moon Jae-in indicated the reduction of joint war games with the United States if the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) stops nuclear and missile activities.
The statement came ahead of a two-day summit meeting between President Moon and US President Donald Trump from June 29 in Washington
Moon Jung-in, a foreign affairs scholar and presidential special advisor for unification, diplomatic and security affairs, said at a seminar in Washington Friday that the US strategic assets and the ROK-US joint military exercises could be reduced through discussions with Washington if Pyongyang stops nuclear and missile activities.
A senior official of the presidential Blue House told reporters Monday that his comments were just one of ideas, with which the ROK could create a new phase to break the current situations of the DPRK's nuclear and missile activities.
The special advisor's remarks were in line with the speech made by President Moon, who said last week that if the DPRK stops additional provocations, the ROK would hold an unconditional dialogue with Pyongyang.
The official, however, said the Blue House informed the special advisor of being more cautious while making such comments.
The ROK special advisor's comments came ahead of a two-day summit meeting between President Moon and US President Donald Trump from June 29 in Washington.
Choo Mi-ae, chief of the ruling Democratic Party, told a party meeting that the special advisor was brave enough to say what others do not say, indicating the ruling party's support for his comments.
President Moon was widely forecast to inherit a so-called "Sunshine Policy" of trying to improve inter-Korean ties through economic cooperation and civilian exchanges. Moon's own version was often called "Moonshine Policy."
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