The U.S. Defense Department reportedly remains undecided on whether to suspend next year’s joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States. 

Pentagon spokesman Christopher Logan revealed the position in a reply to the Voice of America’s request for comments on the issue on Tuesday. 

Logan added the U.S. will continue cooperating with South Korea to ensure combat readiness while assisting diplomatic procedures for the Korean Peninsula. 

After the annual Security Consultative Meeting in Washington on October 31st, South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo said Seoul and Washington will make the final decision on next year’s joint exercises by December first. 

Last month, U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis said the Foal Eagle exercise, usually launched in March, was being reorganized to keep it at a level that will not be harmful to diplomacy with some U.S. media outlets quoting him as saying the joint drill will be “reduced in scope.”