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Every spring for two months the U.S. and South Korea held multiple combat exercises throughout the Korean Peninsula involving tens of thousands of ground, sea and air forces from both countries under the umbrella name \"Foal Eagle.\"

A separate exercise known as \"Key Resolve\" was a computer simulation for commanders and their staffs. Both exercises simulated a joint U.S. and South Korean response to a North Korean invasion.

Both exercises also served as shows of force to remind North Korea of the American military commitment to defend South Korea.

Not surprisingly, the annual exercises consistently riled North Korea which often issued inflammatory statements describing them as provocative. At times North Korea would respond with military shows of force of its own -- carrying out ballistic missiles that heightened tensions.

\"PHOTO:
Park Chul-hog/Yonhap via AP
PHOTO: A U.S. F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jet lands as South Korea and the U.S. conduct the Max Thunder joint military exercise at an air base in Gwangju, South Korea, May 16, 2018.
>

The Pentagon statement said both exercises will be \"newly designed Command Post exercises and revised field training programs.\"

U.S. officials said holding the new exercises at lower command levels will allow both the U.S. and South Korean militaries to maintain their readiness — though possibly not at the same levels as if the larger exercises had been held.

Last fall, then-Defense Secretary James Mattis said that the exercises would be \"scaled back\" to give more space to reduce tensions and give more space to diplomatic efforts to denuclearize North Korea.

Following the Trump-Kim summit in Singapore last June, Trump announced the cancellation of \"war games\" he felt were too costly and \"provocative.\" That decision led to the suspension of the annual Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise held every August.

NBC News first reported the planned end to the exercises on Friday.

Trump’s meeting with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un did not result in an agreement to get rid of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, but the decision to end the exercises this spring indicates the U.S. and South Korea want to continue giving those talks as much diplomatic space as possible.

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