Trump to meet North Korean leader

South Korea's military announced that the joint US-South Korea military exercises originally scheduled to end next Thursday will be moved up to this Friday.

This as the Wall Street Journal reported that US President Donald Trump plans to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in the fall.

The joint military exercises named Ulchi Freedom Shield between the United States and South Korean military was originally scheduled to last 11 days in two phases.

The first phase this week focused on responding to attacks and defences while the second phase starting next week would concentrate on counter-attack operations. It was originally scheduled to end next Thursday. However, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff indicated on Wednesday that the military exercises will be significantly shortened and will end on Friday.

Yonhap News Agency reported this is the first time a military exercise has been halted midway. Reuters citing the South Korean military Wednesday stated that adjustments were agreed upon by both countries at the suggestion of the United States.

Reuters also quoted a US Department of Defense official saying that some exercises and live-fire drills were cancelled or replaced with simulations.

Trump previously posted on social media that he asked the Department of Defense to drastically reduce the scale of military exercises pointing out that they were costly and sent a completely inappropriate and hostile signal to North Korea.

Meanwhile more than 200 South Korean civilians, government and military held a joint anti-terror drill as part of ongoing Ulchi exercise on Wednesday focusing on civil defence. It focused on how civilian government and military personnel would respond to potential drone attacks on civilian properties as well as their capability to capture in its aftermath.

Mayor of Songpa District, Seo Kang-suk said there is no clear frontline in modern warfare. "That's why it's important to strengthen joint response capabilities with civilians, government and military sectors responding to disaster together," he said.