*By Christian Smith*
South Koreans responded with a mix of optimism and worry Tuesday after President Trump announced he would suspend joint military exercises with South Korea as Kim Jong-un considers how to dismantle North Korea's nuclear arsenal.
President Moon Jae-In of South Korea [watched on TV and smiled](https://www.facebook.com/KoreaClickers/photos/rpp.181274814520/10156484091904521/?type=3&theater) as the American president and the North Korean leader met in Singapore. But Trump's unexpected announcement that he would stop joint military drills made some of America's allies in South Korea uneasy, according to Martyn Williams, editor at NorthKoreaTech.org.
"The right wing in South Korea is already not very pleased with these military drills stopping taking place," Williams said in an interview with Cheddar.
The president's statement, which appeared to be an off-the-cuff comment in a discussion with reporters after his meeting with Kim, was not part of the joint statement signed by the two leaders. The United States and South Korea conduct regular war games to prepare for the possibility of a conflict with North Korea, and there are about 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea.
Trump had said he hoped to strike a deal with Kim to eliminate North Korea's nuclear program, and touted the "very comprehensive" statement the leaders agreed to at the summit. But Williams said denuclearization will take more negotiations.
"I think it was a good first step, but what comes next is the most important thing," Williams said.
For full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/the-winners-and-losers-of-the-north-korea-summit).
The Treasury Department says 39 million families are set to receive monthly child payments beginning on July 15.
China has landed a spacecraft on Mars for the first time in the latest step forward for its ambitious space program.
Gas shortages have spread from the South, almost exhausting supplies in Washington, DC. The runs on gasoline follow a ransomware cyberattack that forced a shutdown of the nation’s largest gasoline pipeline.
Cheddar explains why some European countries are building new bicycle superhighways and how it'll transform their transportation landscape.
Two men detained by British immigration officials in Glasgow have been released after a seven-hour standoff between hundreds of protesters and Scottish police.
Republicans have vaulted Rep. Elise Stefanik into the ranks of House leadership. The upstate New York Republican was elected to the party's No. 3 post on Friday.
The CDC is easing indoor mask-wearing guidance for fully vaccinated people, allowing them to safely stop wearing masks inside in most places. The new guidance was announced Thursday at the White House.
The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell last week to 473,000, the latest evidence that fewer employers are cutting jobs as consumers ramp up spending and more businesses reopen.
A worrisome bout of inflation struck the economy in April, with U.S. consumer prices surging 0.8%, the largest monthly jump in in more than a decade and the year-over-year increase reaching its fastest rate since 2008.
Republicans have dumped Rep. Liz Cheney from her House leadership post. The reason: Her persistent repudiation of President Donald Trump’s election falsehoods.
