(CNN) The Pentagon has "suspended all planning" as expected for August joint military exercises with South Korea and several allies in the region, to comply with President Donald Trump's desire to pull back on so-called "war games," according to a statement from Dana White, chief Pentagon spokesperson.

"Consistent with President Trump's commitment and in concert with our Republic of Korea ally, the United States military has suspended all planning for this August's defensive 'wargame' (Freedom Guardian)," White said in the statement. "We are still coordinating additional actions. No decisions on subsequent wargames have been made."

But as a practical matter, restarting large-scale exercises is impractical. The August exercise, named Ulchi Freedom Guardian, had been long scheduled for August and final planning with several nations' military forces had been well underway. In 2017, the annual exercise involved 17,500 US service members with 3,000 coming from outside South Korea. The drills include high-level commanders in computer-simulated defensive exercises, as well as units in the field, all practicing readiness under a scenario in which the Korean Peninsula goes from peace through a crisis stage and then into open conflict, according to a defense official.

Trump announced his intention to end military exercises with South Korea a week ago during a news conference in Singapore, where he had a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Read More