Seoul, July 28 (NationPress) The United States Forces Korea (USFK) announced on Monday that any decisions regarding potential adjustments to the joint military exercises between South Korea and the US will be determined through established consultation processes. This statement follows comments made by South Korea's Unification Minister, Chung Dong-young, who expressed his intention to propose modifications to these drills to President Lee Jae Myung.

Earlier in the day, Minister Chung made his statements just hours after North Korea criticized the Lee administration for "blindly adhering" to the alliance with the US, asserting that it will refuse any dialogue with Seoul.

In a statement, the USFK emphasized, "As always, any decisions regarding alliance training and exercises will be made through established consultation processes."

While acknowledging Minister Chung's remarks, the USFK noted that they have not yet received any specific details regarding his proposal from the South Korean government.

Chung's comments came as South Korea and the US are preparing to commence their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise next month, as reported by Yonhap news agency.

North Korea has persistently condemned the joint military drills conducted by the allies, labeling them as rehearsals for an invasion, and often uses these exercises as justification for its provocations. Conversely, both South Korea and the US maintain that their exercises are purely of a defensive nature.

The South Korean Ministry of Defense reiterated their commitment to regular joint exercises to uphold their combined defense posture, stating that there have been "no changes so far" concerning the upcoming exercise.

Earlier today, Minister Chung confirmed his intentions to reporters, stating, "Yes, I have such an intent," when asked about proposing adjustments to the South Korea-US military drills to President Lee.

This response followed accusations from Kim Yo-jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who claimed that the Lee administration is "blindly adhering" to the alliance with the US, declaring Pyongyang's refusal to engage in talks with Seoul.

Kim criticized President Lee's continued military drills with the US, indicating that his approach is no different from that of his predecessor, former President Yoon Suk Yeol, known for his hard-line stance towards North Korea.

In mid-August, South Korea and the US are slated to initiate their annual large-scale Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise.