The Blue House stated that the reduction of U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises, ordered by President Donald Trump, will not affect the recovery of wartime operational control.
According to Yonhap News on August 19, Sung Ki-hong, the Blue House's senior secretary for public communication, expressed this view during an appearance on Channel A. He stated, "The government believes that the reduction of exercises should not hinder or delay the policy direction and schedule for the transfer of wartime operational control."
Sung noted that he learned about Trump's message regarding the reduction of joint exercises through Truth Social, adding that many U.S. officials reportedly only recognized the president's intentions after seeing that post. He remarked, "It seems to reflect President Trump's unique style."
Regarding the possibility of a North Korea-U.S. summit during the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in November, Sung expressed hope that a friendly relationship between the leaders would lead to improvements between the two countries. He stated, "We will communicate closely with the United States and fulfill our role."
On the matter of Justice Minister Jeong Seong-ho's resignation, Sung said, "A decision will be made at an appropriate time." He refrained from discussing potential successors, stating, "It is not appropriate to mention successors while the minister is still in office."
Concerning the development of Yongsan Park in Seoul, he clarified, "We are not planning to completely transform the 910,000-pyeong park in the Yongsan city center into a forest of apartments. We proposed utilizing some damaged land and small plots to create housing that can serve as a ladder for youth housing in certain areas."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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