South Korea and the United States have decided to put off their joint military drills in tense waters off the west coast of the Korean peninsula due to lack of preparation. A South Korean Defence Ministry official said the four-day drills were originally scheduled to be staged early next week as part of the response to North Korea's alleged sinking of the South's warship in late March that killed 46 sailors. Seoul's Yonhap News Agency today reported citing the deputy defense minister that the naval exercise will be put on hold until mid-June, and a separate anti-submarine drill will also be held at the end of the month or in early July. Meanwhile, South Korea's defense chief Kim Tae-young is scheduled to meet with his U.S. counterpart Robert Gates later today on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific security conference in Singapore to discuss the warship sinking.<br/>