North Korea has denounced military exercises by the United States and South Korea, calling them a threat to the Korean Peninsula and saying it would exercise its right to self-defence, state news agency KCNA reported on Wednesday.
The KCNA commentary called the 11-day Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise the “most immediate and open threat” to North Korea and regional security, saying the drills were pushing tensions on the peninsula towards war.
Seoul and Washington hold annual drills aimed at strengthening their joint defence capabilities. The latest exercise began on Monday, involving thousands of troops from both countries.
North Korea said the exercises were increasingly focused on improving the allies’ ability to fight an actual war and incorporated technologies including artificial intelligence, drones and cyber capabilities. Pyongyang would exercise its right to self-defence to “completely neutralize” what it called military threats until its adversaries abandoned efforts to alter the regional balance of power.
The criticism comes days after US President Donald Trump ordered a substantial reduction in US participation in the drills, citing his “very good relationship” with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
According to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, this year’s exercise includes 14 field drills, three fewer than last year. The agency said the reduction followed efforts by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who, like Trump, is seeking diplomatic engagement with Kim.
Under Kim’s leadership, Pyongyang has expanded its nuclear weapons and missile programmes and has supported Russia’s war in Ukraine with ammunition and thousands of troops.
North Korea has repeatedly denounced US-South Korean military exercises as hostile, while the countries say the drills are necessary to maintain military readiness.