US, South Korea plan military exercises that rankle North

US, South Korea plan military exercises that rankle North

From Monsters and Critics.com

Asia-Pacific News
US, South Korea plan military exercises that rankle North
By DPA
Mar 10, 2006, 19:00 GMT

Seoul - US troops are to carry out two of their annual exercises with the South Korean military this month as Seoul seeks to coax North Korea, who regards the exercises as preparations for an invasion, back to the negotiating table on its nuclear programme.

Foal Eagle, the largest joint field manoeuvre yet, and the RSOI command exercises are to be held together March 25-31, the Combined Forces Command said Friday from Seoul.

The commanders of UN troops stationed in South Korea have informed the North Korean military of the exercises, the command added.

Pyongyang in the past has called the exercises a threat while the United States has described them as designed to defend South Korea against outside aggression.

The manoeuvres are not the only object of tension between Washington and Pyongyang. North Korea\'s nuclear programme is also at issue.

Six-nations talks aimed at a nuclear-weapons-free Korean peninsula stalled in November, and North Korea has said it will not return to the negotiating table until the United States lifts financial sanctions against it. Washington has refused, and this month\'s exercises are not likely to smooth the way.

This year\'s Foal Eagle and RSOI - or reception, staging, onward movement and integration exercise - will involve 20,000 US soldiers, at least 3,000 of whom will be flown in from other countries, a Combined Forces Command spokeswoman said.

The United States has nearly 30,000 troops now stationed in South Korea. By 2008, that number is to be reduced to 25,000.

© 2006 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur

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