South Korea-US Plan Military Exercises Despite Complaints From The North

South Korea and the US move forward with the plans to hold joint military exercises, despite much complaining from the North.

The drills will go on — as previously scheduled — between February 24 and April 18 and North Korea has been notified.

North Korea has withdrawn an invitation to US special envoy Robert King, to discuss the release of imprisoned American missionary Kenneth Bae for the second time.

The North previously withdrew King’s planned trip in August.

It was not clear whether the North’s decision to withdraw the invitation was related to the announcement of the military drills.

Last week Pyongyang dubbed the South Korea-US drills “exercises of war” and put in doubt a possible reunion of families that were separated during the Korean War, between 1950 and 1953. The North has been accused of using them as bargaining chips.

“North Korea is well aware that the South Korean-US drills are annual trainings defensive in nature.” said the South Korean defense ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok, “So it is not appropriate to link [the drills] with family reunions.”

“Key Resolve is a vital exercise to strengthen readiness of the Republic of Korea and US Alliance,” the Combined Forces Command commander General Curtis Scaparrotti said.

“The scenarios are realistic, enabling us to train on our essential tasks and respond to any crisis which may arise.”

In 2013 the exercises led to a period of tension and North Korea threatened the US and South Korea with nuclear attacks.

Meanwhile, the US expressed deep disappointment with the withdrawal of the invitation to discuss Kenneth Bae’s situation. The American missionary has been held in North Korea since 2012.

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the military exercises with South Korea were “in no way linked to Mr Bae’s case.” She added:

“We again call on the DPRK (North Korea) to grant Bae special amnesty and immediate release as a humanitarian gesture.”

Civil rights activist Jesse Jackson has offered to go to North Korea to try to negotiate Bae’s release, Psaki said.

Kenneth Bae was nabbed in November of 2012 while he was conducting a tour of the country and North Korea accused him of organizing the tour groups to overthrow the regime.

He was sentenced to 15-years of hard labor in May and is believed to be at a labor camp.

Bae’s family is concerned for the captive’s health because he suffers from some health problems including diabetes and liver problems.

The US-South Korea drills is the latest excuse North Korea has used to delay talks regarding the American prisoner.