백악관, 긴급대책회의 소집...국무부 '북미정상회담 예정대로'

The U.S., meanwhile, has taken the North Korea's talk of canceling next month's summit in stride.
The White House says it's looking at what the North has said.
And the State Department is continuing to prepare for the talks on the assumption that they will take place.
Lee Ji-won has more.
The United States has responded to North Korea's announcement that its suspending the planned high-level talks with South Korea.
Saying that the U.S. is aware of the cancelation, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement Tuesday that "the U.S. will look at what North Korea has said independently, and continue to coordinate closely with its allies."
This comes as Pyongyang also threatened to call off the much anticipated North Korea-U.S. summit slated to be held on June 12th, by saying that the U.S. should carefully consider the fate of the upcoming meeting, in view of (quote-unquote) "provocative military disturbances with South Korea."

According to CNN, a senior administration official said that meetings are currently underway between White House officials, the National Security Council and the Defense Department,... and that the White House is preparing its response.

But earlier Tuesday, the U.S. State Department said they will move forward in preparing for the talks.

"We are operating under the idea and the notion that the president's meeting is going forward with Chairman, with Chairman Kim next month."

Nauert denied that the drills are provocative, saying the exercises "are things that the U.S. does all over the world with many of their partners and allies." She also emphasized that the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had said before that he "understands" these joint-drills between South Korea and the U.S.

"I will say that Kim Jong Un had said previously that he understands the need and the utility of the United States and the Republic of Korea continuing in its joint exercises. They're exercises that are legal, they are planned well, well in advance."

Nauert went on to say that the news had just come out and that they need to verify it to get additional information.

The Pentagon defended the military exercises in a statement on Tuesday, saying that the annual exercises are part of the ROK-U.S. alliance's routine, and that the purpose of the training is to enhance the alliance's ability to defend South Korea and enhance interoperability and readiness.
Lee Ji-won, Arirang News.