Tensions tightened on the Korean peninsula on Monday, as North Korea cancelled a US envoy’s visit over a jailed Korean American, and Seoul and Washington set dates for military drills denounced by Pyongyang.
Frictions with Pyongyang will dominate the agenda when US Secretary of State John Kerry makes a brief visit to Seoul later this week as part of an Asia tour.
The US State Department said it was “deeply disappointed” by the North’s decision to rescind its invitation to Robert King, the US special envoy for North Korean human rights issues.
King had hoped to secure the release of Kenneth Bae, who was arrested in November 2012 and later sentenced to 15 years’ hard labor on charges of seeking to topple the North Korean government.
Bae, a tour operator, was described by a North Korean court as a militant Christian evangelist.
It is the second time King has been rebuffed. North Korea previously scrapped an invite at the last minute for him to discuss Bae’s case at the end of August.
Bae, 45, began serving his sentence in May 2013 and was admitted to hospital in August with kidney and liver problems.
He was returned to the labor camp last month, and his family and US officials have voiced deep concerns over his health.
The rescinding of King’s invitation came ahead of annual South Korea-US
military drills which Pyongyang has urged Seoul to cancel.
The allies’ Combined Forces Command (CFC) said Monday that the “Key Resolve” and “Foal Eagle” exercises would run from February 24-April 18.