Seoul, December 7 (NationPress) - South Korea is not planning to modify its joint military exercises with the United States as part of efforts to reignite stalled negotiations with North Korea, stated National Security Advisor Wi Sung-lac on Sunday.

Wi made these comments when questioned if Seoul would reconsider the routine drills with Washington to facilitate the revival of inter-Korean discussions, as Pyongyang has dismissed Seoul's overtures during the first six months of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's administration.

"If we are to resume dialogue, we need to assess the options available to us. While there are numerous possibilities, we are not specifically contemplating utilizing the Korea-U.S. joint exercises as leverage," Wi remarked during a press briefing, according to the Yonhap News Agency.

He acknowledged that advancements in inter-Korean relations have been minimal, promising ongoing efforts to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula and rekindle dialogue with Pyongyang.

Last month, President Lee indicated that while a stable peace regime where large-scale drills are unnecessary would be ideal in the long run, decisions regarding exercises must be based on evolving security conditions. He emphasized that it is too early to make firm conclusions on this matter, labeling it as "the most sensitive" issue for North Korea.

For a long time, Pyongyang has condemned the Seoul-Washington drills as "war rehearsals," while the allies assert they are defensive in nature.

President Lee has reiterated his call for dialogue after Seoul proposed military discussions to define the Military Demarcation Line to avert unintended confrontations near the border, although Pyongyang has yet to respond.

Wi later informed reporters that the omission of North Korea from Washington's recent National Security Strategy (NSS) does not seem to indicate U.S. indifference towards North Korean issues; rather, it may reflect a focus on an "America First" agenda.

"There seems to be no reason to assume the U.S. is disinterested in addressing North Korea's nuclear challenges or in rekindling talks with the North," Wi stated, adding that these matters may be addressed in lower-level documents moving forward.

Last Friday, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump released a document outlining its foreign policy, defense, and economic security stance without mentioning North Korea, marking a departure from previous documents.