U.S. President Donald Trump has reaffirmed that it was his idea to suspend joint military exercises between South Korea and the U.S. but the drills will immediately start back up if the talks collapse.

Trump tweeted on Sunday that "Holding back the "war games" during the negotiations was my request because they are very expensive and set a bad light during a good faith negotiation," calling the drills "quite provocative."

However, he added that the drills can start up immediately if talks break down, which he hopes will not happen.

Trump is actively defending his decision to suspend the military drills, as his remarks prompted concerns in South Korea, while his Singapore summit is drawing criticism within the U.S. for its lack of substantial results in the North's denuclearization.

[Photo : YONHAP News]