South Korea and US test defences against North Korea

South Korean and US troops have begun large-scale military exercises, in an annual test of their defences against North Korea.

The latter called the drills “nuclear war moves” and threatened to respond with an all-out offensive.

South Korea said the exercises would be the largest ever, following North Korea’s fourth nuclear test, in January, and a long-range rocket launch last month, which triggered a UN Security Council resolution and tough new sanctions.

Isolated North Korea has rejected criticism of its nuclear and rocket programmes, even criticism from old ally, China.

Last week, leader, Kim Jong Un, ordered his country to be ready to use nuclear weapons against what he considers growing threats.

The joint US and South Korean military command said it had notified North Korea of “the non-provocative nature of this training”, which involves 17,000 American troops and 300,000 South Koreans.

South Korea’s Defence Ministry said it had seen no sign of any unusual military activity by the North.

The North Korean verbal threats are in line with the usual rhetoric it uses to denounce the drills.