The United States and South Korea will scale back a major military Exercise next spring to avoid setting back diplomacy over North Kore's Nuclear Weapons, Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has said.

Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon that the exercise, known as Foal Eagle and conducted each spring in South Korea to keep ground, Air, naval and special operations forces prepared for combat, Wil be "Reduced In Scope." "Foal Eagle is being reorganized a bit to keep it at a level that will not be harmful to diplomacy." He Said.

North Korea has vigorously protested these and other Large-Scale annual Military Exercises, Calling Them provocations and a dress rehearsal for an invasion. The US and South Korea insist the maneuvers are purely Defensive.

In October the US and South Korea canceled a major exercise, Vigilant Ace, That Was to Be conducted in December, and After President Donald Trump's June summit in Singapore with North Korean leader Kim Jong, Un The us dropped a major summertime exercise, Ulchi Freedom Guardian, Which Trump Derided  as wasteful and Provocative.

Mattis Did not provide details about hoe Foal Eagle Will be reorganized and tone down, but the decision is, an extension of efforts by Washington and Seoul to encourage progress in stalled negotiations over the North's Nuclear Program.