SEOUL, August 14 (AJP) - North Korea on Friday denounced an upcoming joint military exercise between South Korea and the U.S., warning that it would respond to the drills with a "new level of deterrent."
"It is our consistent principle of ensuring security to respond to a new level of a threat with a new level of a deterrent," a spokesperson for North Korea's Foreign Ministry said in a statement carried by the state-run [North] Korean Central News Agency.
The statement said that the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise, set to begin next week, shows Washington's intention to prepare for a "substantial military confrontation" with North Korea. It cited U.S. remarks that this year's drills are "quite different from those of the past five years," aimed at "improving the allies' ability to conduct modern warfare."
It added that North Korea would "frustrate outsiders' hostile acts with the most powerful and overwhelming force."
"[North Korea] will not tolerate the grave confrontational situation which is being created by the enemy states but more clearly express its stance on the enemies to cope with any threats and challenges through the responsible and decisive exercise of the right to legitimate self-defense," it said.
North Korea, which has strongly denounced the exercise as a "rehearsal for an invasion" and conducted weapons tests and missile launches in protest, again fired ballistic missiles toward the East Sea last week and earlier this week, just days before the exercise is set to begin its 10-day drills next Monday.
AJP Takeaways:
- North Korea on Aug. 14, 2026, warned that it would respond to the upcoming Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise with a "new level of deterrent."
- South Korea and the United States are scheduled to begin the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise on Aug. 17, 2026, for 10 days of joint military drills.
- North Korea's Foreign Ministry said the exercise reflects the United States' intention to prepare for a "substantial military confrontation” with North Korea and cited U.S. remarks that this year's drills are aimed at improving the allies' ability to conduct modern warfare.
- North Korea has denounced Ulchi Freedom Shield as a "rehearsal for an invasion" and warned that it will respond with "the most powerful and overwhelming force" against what it calls hostile acts by the United States and South Korea.
- North Korea has conducted weapons tests and fired ballistic missiles toward the East Sea in recent days, including launches in the week leading up to the start of the Aug. 17, 2026, Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise.
"It is our consistent principle of ensuring security to respond to a new level of a threat with a new level of a deterrent," a spokesperson for North Korea's Foreign Ministry said in a statement carried by the state-run [North] Korean Central News Agency.
The statement said that the Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) exercise, set to begin next week, shows Washington's intention to prepare for a "substantial military confrontation" with North Korea. It cited U.S. remarks that this year's drills are "quite different from those of the past five years," aimed at "improving the allies' ability to conduct modern warfare."
It added that North Korea would "frustrate outsiders' hostile acts with the most powerful and overwhelming force."
"[North Korea] will not tolerate the grave confrontational situation which is being created by the enemy states but more clearly express its stance on the enemies to cope with any threats and challenges through the responsible and decisive exercise of the right to legitimate self-defense," it said.
North Korea, which has strongly denounced the exercise as a "rehearsal for an invasion" and conducted weapons tests and missile launches in protest, again fired ballistic missiles toward the East Sea last week and earlier this week, just days before the exercise is set to begin its 10-day drills next Monday.
AJP Takeaways:
- North Korea on Aug. 14, 2026, warned that it would respond to the upcoming Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise with a "new level of deterrent."
- South Korea and the United States are scheduled to begin the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise on Aug. 17, 2026, for 10 days of joint military drills.
- North Korea's Foreign Ministry said the exercise reflects the United States' intention to prepare for a "substantial military confrontation” with North Korea and cited U.S. remarks that this year's drills are aimed at improving the allies' ability to conduct modern warfare.
- North Korea has denounced Ulchi Freedom Shield as a "rehearsal for an invasion" and warned that it will respond with "the most powerful and overwhelming force" against what it calls hostile acts by the United States and South Korea.
- North Korea has conducted weapons tests and fired ballistic missiles toward the East Sea in recent days, including launches in the week leading up to the start of the Aug. 17, 2026, Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise.
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