U.S., South Korea begin exercise amid North Korea’s threats

[unhappycamper]

U.S., South Korea begin exercise amid North Korea’s threats
By Jimmy Norris, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Monday, March 9, 2009

SEOUL — The annual Key Resolve/Foal Eagle exercises were to kick off Monday, scheduled to last through March 20.

The peninsulawide joint exercises feature thousands of visiting U.S. servicemembers from duty stations around the world.

As in previous years, Key Resolve/Foal Eagle was preceded by protests from the North Korean government, which claims the exercise is preparation for an invasion.

This year’s protests led the United Nations Command and the North Korean army to resume general officer-level talks after a seven-year hiatus.

USFK spomesman Dave Palmer said the talks were requested by the North in the interest of easing the growing tensions on the peninsula. The first of the new talks took place March 2 and were primarily used by the North as a platform to rail against the exercises, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported. A second set of general officer talks took place Friday.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=61196