Archive · 14 Aug 2026
North Korea denounces US-South Korea drills, vows stronger nuclear deterrence
North Korea and South Korea do not get along well.
Every year, the United States and South Korea do big military practice drills together.
North Korea says those drills are like practice for an attack, and it gets very angry.
This year's drills are called Ulchi Freedom Shield and will happen from August 17 to 27.
They include practice for stopping drones, broken GPS signals, and computer attacks.
North Korea says the drills are more annoying and scary than last year's.
It also said it would make its nuclear weapons even stronger to protect itself.
North Korea says the United States is teaming up with Japan and South Korea to form a nuclear alliance.
North Korea even fired a missile into the sea this week to show its strength.
It says it will answer new threats with new protections.
North Korea denounced the upcoming annual Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) joint drills as more provocative than last year's exercises, state media KCNA reported.
The US-South Korea drills run from August 17 to 27 and add exercises to counter drones, GPS disruption and cyberattacks.
North Korea said US-Japan-South Korea military cooperation is turning into a 'nuclear alliance' and vowed to answer with a 'new level of deterrent.'
Pyongyang accused Washington of pursuing a new nuclear strategy that lowers the threshold for using weapons and could push global security 'to the brink of a nuclear war.'
On Wednesday, North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the sea off the Korean Peninsula's east coast from the Wonsan area, six days after a launch from the same area.
- Who
- North Korea's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, speaking via state media KCNA; the United States and South Korea, which organize the Ulchi Freedom Shield drills; South Korea's Unification Ministry and Joint Chiefs of Staff.
- What
- North Korea denounced the upcoming US-South Korea military drills as provocative and pledged to strengthen its nuclear deterrence.
- When
- Friday, August 14; the drills are scheduled for August 17-27, and a ballistic missile was fired on Wednesday.
- Where
- Korean Peninsula; the missile was launched from North Korea's Wonsan area toward the sea off the east coast.
- Why
- North Korea views the drills and US-Japan-South Korea nuclear cooperation as threats, accusing Washington of a nuclear strategy that could push global security 'to the brink of a nuclear war.'
North Korea's Position
Seoul and Washington's Position
Nature of the annual drills
North Korea's Position
The exercises are more provocative than last year's and routinely heighten tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Seoul and Washington's Position
The annual drills add exercises countering drones, GPS disruption and cyberattacks to adapt to North Korea's evolving capabilities.
Nuclear posture
North Korea's Position
US-Japan-South Korea cooperation is a 'nuclear alliance'; a US nuclear strategy lowering the threshold for using weapons could push global security to the brink of nuclear war, making the Korean Peninsula a priority target.
Seoul and Washington's Position
The United States provides extended-deterrence commitments to Japan and nuclear cooperation to South Korea as part of trilateral military cooperation.
- North Korea response
- Denounced the drills as provocative; first official response to the exercise, per South Korea's Unification Ministry
- Drill name
- Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS), annual US-South Korea joint military exercise
- Drill dates
- August 17-27
- New exercise focus
- Countering drones, GPS disruption and cyberattacks
- North Korea's vow
- Strengthen nuclear deterrence; answer a 'new level of threat' with a 'new level of deterrent'
- Missile launch
- Ballistic missile fired Wednesday toward the sea off the Korean Peninsula's east coast
- Launch site
- Wonsan area; second missile from the same area in six days
- Alleged US strategy
- A new nuclear strategy that lowers the threshold for using weapons, risking nuclear war, per Pyongyang