JOINT MILITARY EXERCISES BOOST SOKOR DEFENSE READINESS: U.S.

Joint military drills are a key measure to ensure the readiness of South Korean and US forces, a Pentagon spokesman said, even as the pandemic has thrown the timetable out the window, Yonhap News Agency reported.

The spokesman noted the scope and timing of future exercises will be determined through close consultation between the two allies.

"Military readiness is a top priority of the Secretary of Defense. Our combined military training events are a principal method of ensuring our combined Alliance readiness," Lt. Col. Martin Meiners told Yonhap in an email. The US has 28,500 troops in South Korea.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Wednesday (Seoul time) noted a field exercise may be unlikely for the combined forces of South Korea and the United States in the near future due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I believe it may be difficult for a large number of troops to undergo a field exercise like in the past due to current conditions," Moon said while meeting with the heads of five largest political parties in South Korea on the outcome of his meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington last week.

Seoul and Washington last held a joint military exercise in March, but it was largely virtual due to the pandemic.

Their regular joint military drills have largely remained computer-simulated desktop exercises since the start of the pandemic last year.

North Korea, however, continues to strongly denounce the joint military exercises as war rehearsals. The allies have another regular joint military drill scheduled to start in August.

WEEKLY FEATURE : TRUEMONEY PHILIPPINES BUCKS THE COVID-19 CHALLENGE