National
security adviser Wi Sung-lac stated Friday that Seoul welcomes President
Trump’s outreach to Pyongyang, stressing close coordination to ensure progress
on the nuclear issue without weakening joint defenses or sidelining South
Korea.
This comes as the U.S., South Korea, and Japan gear up for Freedom Edge military drills from September 9 to 11 in waters near Jeju Island to sharpen responses to North Korean missile and nuclear threats.
The drills follow Trump’s recent cuts to some bilateral exercises with Seoul, seen as a diplomatic gesture, while South Korea pushes deeper ties with Washington on intelligence and operations amid past stalled talks from 2018-2019 summits.