Defense Minister Suh Wook speaks during a press conference at his office at the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul's Yongsan District, Wednesday. Courtesy of Ministry of National Defense

By Jung Da-min, Joint Press Corps

The military is preparing to conduct regular springtime combined exercises with the U.S., Defense Minister Suh Wook said, Wednesday, adding the allies would decide whether to go ahead with the drills as planned, scale them down or cancel them based on the COVID-19 pandemic situation here.

On President Moon Jae-in's earlier remarks that it would be possible for the South to consult with North Korea through a joint military committee on the issue of the combined military training, Suh said the military is in the same position and could consult any military-related issues with Pyongyang, in accordance with the Sept. 19 Comprehensive Military Agreement signed as part of the Pyongyang Joint Declaration in 2018.

Suh's remarks came amid growing criticism of the Moon government that the issue of the Korea-U.S. combined exercises should not be a subject of negotiations with North Korea, as it is a matter of maintaining the military readiness of the South.

"The military is preparing and checking every step before conducting combined training with the U.S. We will decide whether and how to conduct it based on the COVID-19 pandemic situation, by considering the fact that the vaccination of U.S. troops is underway and monitoring the number of new virus outbreaks among our military members," Suh said in a press conference at the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul.