North Korea has condemned the most recent joint military drills between the United States and South Korea, saying that an invasion is being planned.  The Defense Ministry of North Korea has described the drills as “reckless.”

In the statement released by ruling party newspaper Rodong Sinmun, Pyongyang described the drills as a “further escalation of military threats” and as “an invasion attempt” against a sovereign nation. It “sternly” warned the US and South Korea to stop any further “provocative and destabilizing” actions. “A nuclear war may be ignited even with a single spark,” added the document. –RT

The statement refers to the annual Freedom Shield exercises that commenced off the Korean Peninsula on Monday and will last for 11 days. This year’s drills involve twice the number of troops and will carry out roughly double the number of field-training drills compared to last year, according to a report by RT. 

North Korean Dictator Warns South Korea Of “Annihilation”

South Korea’s ruling class continues to claim that the joint war games are “defensive”. The exercises will focus on deterring North Korea’s nuclear threats, and will involve live-firing, bombing, air assault, and missile interception, Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff spokesperson Lee Sung-jun said last week.

According to a report by Reuters, South Korea’s defense ministry added that the drills are not only defensive but are meant to fend off the North’s provocations and aggression. It also warned of an “overwhelming response” if North Korea launches direct provocations during the drills.

Back in January, Pyongyang’s state-run media said that in response to navy drills carried out by South Korea, the US, and Japan, North Korea tested a solid-fuel, intermediate-range ballistic missile with a hypersonic warhead and an “underwater nuclear weapon system.”

North Korea has opposed joint drills between Seoul and Washington for a long time. Every drill has been considered a provocation and Pyongyang usually responds with weapons tests of its own.