North Korea denounces US-South Korea drills, KCNA says

North Korea condemned the planned joint exercises by Washington and Seoul, describing them as more provocative than last year’s drills, according to the country’s state media.

Quoting a spokesperson from its Foreign Ministry, KCNA said that the emerging security cooperation among the United States, Japan, and South Korea is shifting toward a nuclear umbrella. Pyongyang vowed to respond to what it calls an escalated threat with an upgraded deterrent posture.

From August 17 to 27, the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield drills are set to go ahead, with new components aimed at countering drones, GPS jamming, and cyber operations as allied forces tailor their readiness to North Korea’s evolving abilities.

In parallel, Pyongyang reiterated its resolve to strengthen nuclear deterrence, accusing the United States of pursuing a new doctrine that lowers the threshold for using atomic weapons and could push global security toward the brink of a nuclear crisis.

KCNA’s coverage also framed the U.S.–South Korea alliance and extended deterrence commitments to Japan as a broader shift in regional security, implying that the Korean Peninsula could be a primary focus for the new strategy.

Analysts note that the exchange highlights ongoing tensions on the peninsula as both sides intensify military ties and rhetoric in a high-stakes security dynamic.