N.K. leader expresses understanding about S. Korea-U.S. military drills: Seoul

SEOUL, March 6 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has expressed his understanding about South Korea and the United States' plan to conduct their postponed joint military drills in April at a similar level to last year's excercises, a Seoul official said Tuesday.

Kim's remarks were made at a meeting with President Moon Jae-in's special envoys, who returned home from Pyongyang on Tuesday after a two-day visit.

"Our stance on the joint military drills is that it is hard to postpone the exercises again or suspend them and there is no justification for doing so. But Kim said that he understands the South's stance," a ranking presidential official told reporters.

Kim told the envoys that he expects the joint drill to be readjusted once the security situation on the Korean Peninsula stabilizes.

Seoul and Washington delayed their military exercises until after the PyeongChang Winter Olympics and the March 9-18 Paralympics. The North has long denounced them as rehearsals for war against it.

sooyeon@yna.co.kr
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