The U.S. and South Korea should not carry out joint exercises in a way that aggravates the North, the former and current unification ministers said in a recent online conference.

In a video talk released on Thursday, unification minister Lee In-young and former unification minister Jeong Se-hyun said the joint exercise slated for next March should not cause another conflict with Pyongyang. Agreeing that the first half of 2021 will be a pivotal moment for inter-Korean relations, the two ministers emphasized South Korea’s role in bringing the North to the negotiation table.