North Korea denounces US-South Korea drills

On August 14, 2026, North Korea denounced the upcoming annual Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) joint military drills between the United States and South Korea, scheduled for August 17-27. State media KCNA, citing a spokesperson for the South Korea — Ministry of Foreign Affairs (South Korea), said the drills are more provocative than last year's and that US-Japan-South Korea military cooperation is turning into a nuclear alliance. North Korea vowed to respond to a new level of threat with a new level of deterrent and to further strengthen its nuclear deterrence, accusing the United States of pursuing a new nuclear strategy that lowers the threshold for using weapons. The commentary also warned that the Korean Peninsula could become a priority target. This follows North Korea's ballistic missile launches on August 12 and August 7 from the Wonsan area, as reported by South Korea's United States — Joint Chiefs of Staff. South Korea's South Korea — Ministry of Unification noted this was North Korea's first official response to the upcoming exercise.