North Korea vows to boost nuclear arsenal after US-South Korea drills

North Korea said on Monday that a recent US-South Korean joint military exercise constituted a rehearsal for nuclear warfare against the country, state media KCNA reported. The assertion came as Pyongyang pledged to intensify efforts to strengthen its nuclear deterrent capability in response to what it characterised as provocative military operations.

The North Korean statement reflects long-standing tensions on the Korean peninsula, where regular joint US-South Korean military drills have become a persistent point of friction with Pyongyang. North Korea has consistently interpreted such exercises as hostile acts and used them to justify its own military expansion.

The drills are part of routine defence cooperation between Washington and Seoul, aimed at maintaining readiness against potential threats from the North. However, Pyongyang views the exercises as rehearsals for invasion and has repeatedly warned that it will respond by advancing its weapons capabilities.

The latest rhetoric underscores the cycle of military posturing that characterises inter-Korean relations, with both sides using military activities as justification for their respective security measures. North Korea's commitment to accelerating its nuclear programme suggests continued pursuit of weapons advancement despite international sanctions and diplomatic efforts to curtail its development.