Opportunity for easing peninsula tension

The annual joint military exercises between the United States and the Republic of Korea have always been seen with suspicion and criticized by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The 10-day Ulchi Freedom Guardian drills, which ROK President Moon Jae-in described as "defensive in nature", have been dismissed by Pyongyang as a "reckless" rehearsal for invasion amid rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

In a Sunday editorial, the DPRK's Rodong Sinmun newspaper said the US-ROK exercise will "add fuel to the fire" and drive the situation into "the uncontrollable phase of a nuclear war". The drills, largely computer-simulated and participated by about 17,500 US troops - a cutback of 7,500 from last year - came a week after the DPRK announced a plan to fire four missiles toward the US territory of Guam.

The reduction in the number of US troops taking part in the drill is hardly a sign of relief for the DPRK, which still sees the annual exercises as a grave affront. But the rest of the world may heave a sigh of relief if nothing disastrous happens during the US-ROK drill.