North Korea offers to suspend nuclear tests if U.S. suspends military drills

[oberliner]

Source: Reuters

North Korea said on Saturday it was willing to suspend nuclear tests if the United States agreed to call off annual military drills held jointly with South Korea, but Washington rejected the proposal as a veiled threat.

The offer, which the North's official KCNA news agency said was conveyed to Washington on Friday through "a relevant channel", follows an often repeated demand by Pyongyang for an end to the large-scale defensive drills by the allies.

"The message proposed (that) the U.S. contribute to easing tension on the Korean peninsula by temporarily suspending joint military exercises in South Korea and its vicinity this year," KCNA said in a report.

&quot The message) said that in this case the DPRK is ready to take such a responsive step as temporarily suspending the nuclear test over which the U.S. is concerned," KCNA said, using the short form for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/10/us-northkorea-usa-drills-idUSKBN0KJ09F20150110

[jmowreader]

1. What a wonderful suggestion!

Those "annual military drills" are held as an excuse to send enough US forces into Korea, at the optimum time of year for North Korea to send its army across the Han River, to dissuade whichever Kim is running the DPRK this week from invading South Korea.

This doesn't sound like a real offer to me, and it won't to anyone wearing stars.

[davidpdx]

2. They say make the same stupid remark ever single year

[iandhr]

3. They usually threaten to nuke us

or Seoul if we carry on the drills.