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." 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.
The statement from Pyongyang indicated that 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. "By doing so, it did not conceal its aim to complete preparations for the substantial military confrontation with" North Korea, the statement read.
"It is our consistent principle of ensuring security to respond to a new level of a threat with a new level of a deterrent," the spokesperson said. The statement stressed Pyongyang "remains steadfast in its will to frustrate outsiders' hostile acts with the most powerful and overwhelming force and absolutely defend the supreme interests of the state security." It added, "The DPRK will not tolerate the grave confrontational situation which is being created by the enemy states but more clearly express its stance on the enemies to cope with any threats and challenges through the responsible and decisive exercise of the right to legitimate self-defense."
Pyongyang has strongly denounced the allies' drills as war rehearsals and conducted its own weapons tests around the exercise in protest, including missile launches toward the East Sea last Thursday and again on Wednesday.
