The allies have either canceled or scaled back joint drills since 2018 for the sake of diplomacy with North Korea.  "We've maintained our stance that combined exercises with the US shall be adjusted in close coordination between the two sides in order to support diplomatic efforts for  denuclearization," ministry spokesperson Choi Hyun-soo told a regular briefing.  Asked about any plans to resume their springtime exercise that had usually been staged in March, Choi said she has "nothing to comment on the issue as of yet," adding that details would be decided "in light of how things go."