Pyongyang: North Korea on Friday denounced an upcoming joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States, warning it will respond to the drills "with a new level of a deterrent."
According to Yonhap News Agency, a spokesperson at North Korea's foreign ministry made the statement as South Korea and the U.S. are set to begin the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise starting Monday until Aug. 27. North Korea said the U.S. had described the annual exercise as "quite different from the ones of the past five years," framing it as Washington's effort to master modern warfare tactics, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
The statement from North Korea asserted that the U.S. did not conceal its aim to complete preparations for a substantial military confrontation with North Korea. It emphasized North Korea's consistent principle of ensuring security by responding to new threats with an increased level of deterrence.
The statement further stressed that Pyongyang remains resolute in its determination to counteract external hostile acts with powerful and overwhelming force to defend the supreme interests of state security. North Korea declared it will not tolerate the confrontational situation created by what it perceives as enemy states. It vowed to express its stance clearly and deal with threats and challenges through decisive self-defense measures.
North Korea has historically criticized the allies' drills as war rehearsals and has conducted its own weapons tests in protest. It launched missiles toward the East Sea last Thursday and again on Wednesday.