The head of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said on Wednesday that the United States is looking at whether to postpone or modify upcoming combined military exercises with South Korea in light of the coronavirus outbreak. 

JCS chief Mark Milley made the remarks during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on the Pentagon's 2021 budget request.

Milley said that that he is waiting for final recommendations from U.S. Forces Korea Commander Robert Abrams and South Korea's JCS Chairman Park Han-ki. 

It's the first time that a U.S. military official has publicly mentioned the possibility of postponing the planned exercises amid the coronavirus outbreak, although U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper did say Monday that they could be scaled back.