North Korea warns of nuclear war over US military drills with South

North Korea has warned the US will be "pouring
gasolene on the fire" by conducting a war game with
its long-time southern foe.
The 10-day joint military exercise with South Korea
has been condemned by Pyongyang as "reckless
behaviour driving the situation into the uncontrollable
phase of a nuclear war".
It views the annual drills, which have now got under
way, as a provocation and a practice for invasion.
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The manoeuvres come amid a war of words between
the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and and the US
President Donald Trump, who has threatened to
unleash "fire and fury" if America and its allies are
threatened.
Last month, nuclear-armed Pyongyang tested two
long-range rockets, which experts said brought major
US cities within range.
In turn, Mr Kim has threatened to fire missiles
towards the US territory of Guam in the Pacific
Ocean.
State media in the North said: "The joint exercise is
the most explicit expression of hostility against us,
and no one can guarantee that the exercise won't
evolve into actual fighting."
It warned the exercises would "be like pouring
gasoline on fire and worsen the state of the
peninsula" and added: "If the United States is lost in
a fantasy that war on the peninsula is at somebody
else's doorstep far away from them across the
Pacific, it is far more mistaken than ever."
Mr Kim has said North Korea can target the US
"anytime and neither Guam, Hawaii nor the mainland
can dodge the merciless strike".
The exercise between Seoul and Washington, which
has been held since the 1970s, will be largely
computer simulated and designed to hone responses
to any situation from conventional weapons to a
nuclear war.
Around 17,500 US troops will participate in this year's
drills, which represents a reduction from last year.
Media in South Korea has also reported the allies
were considering ditching an initial plan to bring in
two aircraft carriers to take part in the drill.
South Korean media reports have said the US was
considering scrapping a plan to bring in two aircraft
carriers to the peninsula.
US Defence Secretary James Mattis has said the
smaller troop numbers were "by design to achieve
the exercise objectives".
"This right now is an exercise to make certain that
we're ready to defend South Korea and our allies
over there," he added.
South Korea's top military officer the current security
situation on the peninsula was "more serious than at
any other time" and warned Pyongyang it would
"retaliate resolutely" against any attack.

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