Move FM Global News

WASHINGTON, DC – North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has written to U.S. President Donald Trump complaining about joint military exercises between the U.S. and South Korea.

The letter has been effective as Mr Trump on Friday said he agreed with Kim, saying he wasn’t a fan of the exercises either.

The president confirmed he had a received a hand-delivered letter to him personally, that it had not gone through channels, it was direct from North Korea to him personally.

He described it as a “beautiful letter.” He said too he believed the pair would have another meeting.

“I think we’ll have another meeting. He really wrote a beautiful, three-page I mean, right from top to bottom a really beautiful letter. And maybe I’ll release the results of the letter, but it was a very positive letter.”

In elaborating, the president went on to say Kim was unhappy with the military exercises being carried out jointly by South Korea and the U.S, which began on Monday of this week.

“He wasn’t happy with the tests, the war games. And as you know, I’ve never liked it either. I’ve never liked it. I’ve never been a fan. You know why? I don’t like paying for it. We should be reimbursed for it, and I’ve told that to South Korea. But I don’t like it either. But I said, “Do this,” because this was a big test. This was a turnover of various areas to South Korea. I like that because that’s what should happen.”

North Korea has previously said the drills were a rehearsal for an invasion of their country.

On Saturday the North Korean government said South Korea was building up its military, accusing it of escalating military tensions and preparing for war on the peninsula, according to the government news agency KCNA. The statement made no mention of the U.S. military but referred to South Korea’s proposed purchase of forty F-35A fighter planes, which have been authorised by the U.S.

“Of late, the south Korean authorities are getting more frantic in their moves for modernizing military hardware, which is a root cause of escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula,” the KCNA statement published on Saturday said.”They are pushing ahead with a plan for building warships including a light aircraft carrier-class transport ship and three new-type Aegis warships on the plea of “diverse security threats” together with the purchase of ultra-modern military hardware like F-35A, means for intercepting aerial targets and Global Hawk.””This is a dangerous act of escalating military tensions on the Korean peninsula as it is part of war preparations against North Korea,” the statement said.”Hostility towards fellow countrymen and pursuance of confrontation will only bring ruin.”

Kim and Trump have met three times, the last time in June when it was agreed talks would resume. No timetable has been set for the resumption of talks.