Speaking at a joint press conference, officials downplayed concerns that South Korea’s new liberal President Lee Jae Myung is looking to scale back this year’s drills in an effort to open a door for dialogue with their northern neighbours.

South Korea and the United States are set to commence their annual large-scale military exercise this month, a move designed to bolster readiness against escalating North Korean threats. The joint drills are, however, likely to provoke an angry response from Pyongyang, further straining diplomatic efforts.

South Korea and the United States will launch their annual large-scale military exercise this month to bolster readiness against North Korean threats, the allies said Thursday