North Korea condemns upcoming US‑South Korea military drills

Pyongyang’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday that the United States is driving the world “to the brink of nuclear war” following recent American‑South Korean joint military drills and the deployment of additional missile‑defence assets in the region. The statement, released in a written response to a U.S. State Department report on North Korean weapons programs, accused Washington of “escalating tensions” and “threatening regional stability” through what it described as “unilateral provocations” and “unjustified sanctions.”

U.S. officials reiterated that the exercises are routine and aimed at maintaining readiness, while emphasizing that Washington remains committed to diplomatic efforts to denuclearise the Korean Peninsula. The remarks come amid heightened scrutiny of North Korea’s missile launches and its ongoing development of nuclear capabilities, which have prompted renewed calls for dialogue from the United Nations and regional partners. Both sides have warned that miscalculations could have serious consequences, underscoring the fragile security environment in Northeast Asia.