North Korea has criticised the upcoming Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) military exercises between South Korea and the United States, describing them as more provocative than last year’s drills.
According to state media KCNA, a spokesperson for North Korea’s Foreign Ministry said trilateral cooperation between the United States, Japan and South Korea had evolved into a “nuclear alliance” and warned Pyongyang would strengthen its deterrence in response.
Key developments:
- Ulchi Freedom Shield runs from 17–27 August 2026, including training against drones, GPS disruption and cyberattacks.
- South Korea’s Unification Ministry said this was Pyongyang’s first official response to the upcoming exercises.
- North Korea also reiterated plans to reinforce its nuclear deterrent and recently conducted additional ballistic missile launches from the Wonsan area.
ℹ️ Reuters
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