SKorea suspends civilian drills to help talks with NKorea

South Korea has suspended its summertime civil defense drills aimed at preparing against a North Korean attack to keep alive a positive atmosphere for nuclear diplomacy with the North.

Seoul's decision on Tuesday to "temporarily suspend" the nationwide civilian drills had been anticipated since the United States and South Korea halted their annual military exercises following a summit last month between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

FILE - In this Aug. 22, 2017, file photo, South Korean army soldiers conduct an anti-terror drill as part of Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise inside a subway station in Seoul, South Korea. South Korea has suspended its summertime civil defense drills aimed at preparing against a North Korean attack to keep alive a positive atmosphere for nuclear diplomacy with the North. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File)

Streets in South Korean cities froze at the sound of air-raid sirens every year during the Ulchi drills in August with cars stopping on roads, pedestrians moving into buildings and subway stations, and government workers evacuating from their offices.

Kim Boo Kyum, minister of the interior and safety, said the suspension of the civilian drills was a follow-up to the suspension of the military exercises amid recent changes in "South-North relations and other security situations." He said the government and military will work to design a new civil defense program to be launched next year that will be aimed at preparing people for natural disasters and terrorist attacks in addition to military attacks.

"The government will firmly maintain national preparedness for emergency situations," Kim said in a news conference also attended by Defense Minister Song Young-moo. The ministers did not take reporters' questions.

After their summit in Singapore, Trump and North Korean leader Kim issued a vague aspirational statement on the North's denuclearization that didn't describe when and how it would occur. It's now up to a U.S. delegation led by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to hammer out details in discussions with senior North Korean officials. The follow-up talks got off to a rocky start, with the North accusing the United States of making unilateral demands, though Pompeo called the talks in Pyongyang last week productive.

FILE - In this Aug. 23, 2016, file photo, South Korean army soldiers stand as women watch during an anti-terror drill as part of the Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise, at Yoido Subway Station in Seoul, South Korea. South Korea has suspended its summertime civil defense drills aimed at preparing against a North Korean attack to keep alive a positive atmosphere for nuclear diplomacy with the North. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File)

The Ulchi civilian drills were launched in 1969, a year after a failed attempt by North Korean commandos to assassinate then-South Korean dictator Park Chung-hee. Since 2008, the civilian drills have coincided with the Ulchi Freedom Guardian military exercises between South Korea and the United States. Following his summit with Kim, Trump said that the allies would suspend the war games as long as negotiations with the North continue in "good faith."

There had been criticism on whether the civilian exercises were adequately preparing South Koreans from North Korean threats. For most South Koreans, there's no real training, with people standing around in gathering spots, staring into their phones or looking frustrated. Many schools didn't participate in the air-raid drills.

While South Korea has nearly 19,000 evacuation shelters, mostly in subway stations and parking garages, surveys have shown most people did not know which shelters were closest to their homes.

South Korea's Defense Minister Song Young-moo speaks to the media during a briefing at the government complex in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, July 10, 2018. South Korea has suspended its summertime civil defense drills aimed at preparing against a North Korean attack to keep alive a positive atmosphere for nuclear diplomacy with the North. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

South Korea's Defense Minister Song Young-moo, left, speaks to the media as Interior and Safety Minister Kim Boo Kyum, right, stands beside during a briefing at the government complex in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, July 10, 2018. South Korea has suspended its summertime civil defense drills aimed at preparing against a North Korean attack to keep alive a positive atmosphere for nuclear diplomacy with the North. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

South Korea's Defense Minister Song Young-moo, left, and Interior and Safety Minister Kim Boo Kyum, right, arrive for a briefing at the government complex in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, July 10, 2018. South Korea has suspended its summertime civil defense drills aimed at preparing against a North Korean attack to keep alive a positive atmosphere for nuclear diplomacy with the North. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

TOKYO (AP) — The United States ambassador to the United Nations said Thursday that America will stand with Japan until all the Japanese abducted by North Korea decades ago return home to end their painful separation.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield made the comments on Thursday as she began her visit to Tokyo by meeting with the families of those kidnapped.

Japan says North Korea abducted at least 17 Japanese citizens, possibly many more, to train them as agents during the 1970s and 1980s. After admitting in 2002 it had abducted 13 Japanese, North Korea apologized and allowed five to return home for a visit. They have since stayed in Japan. Pyongyang said eight others had died and denied that the other four entered its territory and never provided a reinvestigation it has promised.

The twelve who are still missing include teenage students and others living along Japan’s coasts. Many were bundled into small boats and taken across the sea to North Korea.

“The United Stats stands with all the families, with all of Japan and with the international community in pressing for a resolution that will allow all families separated by the regime’s policies to be reunited,” Thomas-Greenfield said at the outset of her meeting with five relatives of the abductees and a representative from their support group at the Prime Minister’s Office.

“I’m all too familiar with the pain and the loss and the suffering that you family members here are experiencing,” she said. “I know how painful it is for you, and then how long you have had to endure this pain.”

Thomas-Greenfield said she has worked on North Korea-related issues throughout her career.

U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration is committed to raising the abduction issue “at every opportunity and calling for the return of abducted Japanese citizens to their family,” the ambassador said, adding that America sticks to that policy regardless of the leadership.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has repeatedly stated his determination to hold a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to achieve the return of the abductees.

Experts say Kim wants improved ties with Japan to drive a wedge between the United States and its allies, while Kishida, stung by a major corruption scandal in his governing party, wants to use possible progress in the abduction issue to turn around his dwindling support ratings at home. They say a summit, however, would be difficult because Japan cannot accept the preconditions set by Pyongyang in order to resolve the abduction issues.

Sakie Yokota, 88, whose then-13-year-old daughter, Megumi, was abducted in 1977 from Japan’s northern coast on her way home from school, told Thomas-Greenfield that she, her husband and Megumi’s brothers searched for her for 20 years until they found out she was abducted. They are still waiting to reunite with her, she said.

“All I want is to see her, while I’m still well,” Yokota said, beseeching the ambassador for continued support toward resolving the problem.

Thomas-Greenfield arrived in Tokyo after her earlier visit to Seoul, where she and South Korean officials discussed a new mechanism for monitoring North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. Russia and China have thwarted U.S.-led efforts to step up U.N. sanctions on North Korea over its ballistic missile testing since 2022, underscoring a deepening divide between permanent Security Council members over Russia’s war on Ukraine.

The United States, South Korea and Japan have been deepening security ties amid growing tensions in the region from North Korea and China. The three countries have expanded their combined military exercises and their deterrence strategies built around U.S. strategic assets.

Associated Press writer Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea, contributed to this report.

U.S. Ambassador to United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, top left, meets with Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, far right, and the families of abduction victims by North Korea Thursday, April 18, 2024, at prime minister's office in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, Pool)

U.S. Ambassador to United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, center, meets with the families of abduction victims by North Korea Thursday, April 18, 2024, at prime minister's office in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, Pool)

U.S. Ambassador to United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, center top, meets with Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi and the families of abduction victims by North Korea Thursday, April 18, 2024, at prime minister's office in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, Pool)

Sakie Yokota, mother of Megumi Yokota, one of the Japanese abductees by North Korea, speaks to U.S. Ambassador to United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield on Thursday, April 18, 2024, at prime minister's office in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, Pool)

U.S. Ambassador to United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield speaks with Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi and the families of abduction victims by North Korea on Thursday, April 18, 2024, at prime minister's office in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, Pool)

Takuya Yokota, Secretary-General of the Association of Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea, center, speaks to U.S. Ambassador to United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, not in picture on Thursday, April 18, 2024, at prime minister's office in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, Pool)

U.S. Ambassador to United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, third from left, poses for a photo with Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, left, and the families of abduction victims by North Korea on Thursday, April 18, 2024, at prime minister's office in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, Pool)

U.S. Ambassador to United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, fourth left, meets with Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, center top, and the families of abduction victims by North Korea Thursday, April 18, 2024, at prime minister's office in Tokyo in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, Pool)

Sakie Yokota, mother of Megumi Yokota, one of the Japanese abductees by North Korea, speaks to U.S. Ambassador to United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield, not in picture, on Thursday, April 18, 2024, at prime minister's office in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, Pool)

U.S. Ambassador to United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield meets with the families of abduction victims by North Korea Thursday, April 18, 2024, at prime minister's office in Tokyo in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, Pool)