S Korea spends US$8.5million for joint military exercises with US since 2016: gov't data

SEOUL, Oct 9 -- South Korea has spent a total of 10.2 billion won (US$8.5 million) on joint military exercises with the United States since 2016, reported Yonhap News Agency, quoting data from the defence ministry and the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Wednesday.

By year, 4.3 billion won was spent in 2016, including 2.2 billion won for Key Resolve exercises and 2.1 billion won for Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercises, while 3.5 billion won was spent the following year on the two annual exercises, according to the data submitted for a parliamentary audit.

Last year, only Key Resolve exercises were conducted and the South spent 1.26 billion won for the maneuvers as the two allies called off Ulchi Freedom Guardian drills after US President Donald Trump vowed to halt what he called "war games" with the South.

This year, the allies conducted joint maneuvers called the "19-1 Dong Maeng" in March, and the South spent 1.16 billion won on them, according to the data. Expenses for the 19-2 Dong Maeng exercises were not available.

-- BERNAMA