North Korea denounces US-South Korea joint military drills

KARACHI, Pakistan

North Korea on Monday blasted annual joint military drills by the US and South Korea, calling them a "planned and provocative nuclear war rehearsal."

Pyongyang warned that it will continue to strengthen its striking power to overwhelm any threats from its enemies, the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

The condemnation came from the disarmament and peace institute at North Korea's Foreign Ministry after South Korea and the US wrapped up the 11-day annual Freedom Shield exercise Thursday.

North Korea said the "aggressive" and "offensive" nature of this year's drills was the highest in history.

"Having a formidable attack power that no one can stop and an overwhelming striking power is the surest guarantee to preventing war and effectively containing and controlling any threat and blackmail from aggressors," the institute said in a statement.

North Korea vowed to "consistently renew and strengthen its responses in all areas to overwhelm any military act by its enemies."

It denounced the drill as a "dangerous provocative act" and fired several ballistic missiles, believed to be close-range ones, on the first day of the exercise.

Washington and Seoul insist that such drills are defensive in nature, however.

Freedom Shield is one of two major annual exercises by the two armies that train troops based on an "all-out war scenario." The other exercise -- Ulchi Freedom Shield -- usually takes place in August.