Correction at 1720 KST on 23/10: A previous version of this article said Mattis had said in June that there were no further plans to pause other joint exercises, when it fact he said this in August. It has been amended to reflect this. 

Washington and Seoul on Friday agreed to suspend the Vigilant Ace joint military exercises in light of the ongoing diplomatic outreach with North Korea.

U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis and South Korea’s Minister of National Defense Jeong Kyeong-doo agreed to the suspension while attending the annual ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus in the Philippines.

It’s hoped the suspension