South Korea says it wasn't informed in advance of US decision to scale back drills

"Neither our government nor US officials knew what President Trump wrote on his Truth Social," Foreign Minister Cho Hyun told lawmakers, according to Seoul-based Yonhap News.

"We were not notified in advance," he told the National Assembly Committee on Foreign Affairs and Unification.

His remarks came after the US and South Korea agreed to shorten their ongoing Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) military exercise by nearly a week and scale back some combined field training.

The annual exercise, which began Monday, will now run through Friday rather than the originally scheduled Aug. 27 end date.

On Sunday, Trump instructed the Pentagon to "substantially reduce" planned joint military exercises with South Korea, citing their cost and his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

On the reduction of Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise, Cho said Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back was believed to be in "close consultations" with US counterparts."Since our defense minister was involved in the discussions, I do not think it amounts to a unilateral notification," he said.

Asked whether the shortened drill could affect the planned transfer of wartime operational control, Cho said the US "should not be able to use the reduction as a reason to further delay the transfer as the drills are being scaled back at the US' request."

Possible Trump, Kim meeting to mark 'turning point'

About a possible summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong UN this fall, Cho said such a meeting, if realized, would mark "a new turning point."

"The (South Korean) government has been making thorough preparations to open channels for dialogue with North Korea, and we will closely consult with the US side not to miss this opportunity," he said.

Cho added that Seoul has inquired about the details of what Trump has described as a recent exchange between Washington and Pyongyang.

Responding to a question whether Washington might sideline Seoul in pursuing dialogue with North Korea, he said his ministry will swiftly take necessary measures through consultations with relevant US agencies and do its utmost to make sure the South Korea-US alliance does not weaken.

North Korean state media Wednesday denounced the drills, saying the UFS "poses the most immediate and open threat" to the country as well as the regional security.

"All the war drills for aggression staged by the enemy states in the Korean peninsula and the region will never produce the result desired by them," KCNA said in a commentary piece.