The U.S. seems to be sending mixed messages to North Korea.
Only a day after U.S. defense chief Mattis said no decisions have been made about joint military exercises with South Korea,... U.S. President Trump says that there is no reason to be spending large amounts of money on the war games.
Park Ji-won has more.
U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted an official White House statement on Wednesday evening, local time,...saying "there is no reason to be spending large amounts of money on the joint South Korea-U.S. war games."
The statement continues that Trump believes his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is a very good and warm one.
But it stressed Trump can instantly start the joint military exercises again with South Korea, and Japan, and if he does,... the exercises will be far bigger than ever before.
The statement also criticized China for not pressuring the North enough onto the path of denuclearization.
The statement came,... only a day after U.S. defense chief James Mattis said Tuesday,... that the Pentagon had "no plans at this time to suspend any more exercises" on the Korean Peninsula.
The comment was made at a press briefing at the Pentagon,... and Mattis added that no decisions have been made,.. on whether large-scale joint military exercises like Ulchi-Freedom Guardian and Foal Eagle will be conducted next year,... and that any decision would be made in consultation with the U.S. State Department.
The U.S. defense chief also issued a follow-up statement earlier Wednesday that said the Pentagon's military posture has not changed since the Singapore summit,... and no decisions have been made over the exercises,... leaving room for possible cancellations.
Mattis also said only three military exercises had been suspended,... to allow space for a diplomatic approach to negotiations with North Korea.
Park Ji-won, Arirang News.
