South Korean and US troops hold live-fire drills near border with North Korea

The South Korean army’s drones fly during South Korea-US joint military drills at Seungjin Fire Training Field in Pocheon, South Korea (Ahn Young-joon/AP)

The South Korean and US militaries have conducted large live-fire drills near the border with North Korea – despite the North saying it will not tolerate what it calls an invasion rehearsal on its doorstep.

Thursday’s drills, the first of five rounds of live-fire exercises through mid-June, mark 70 years since the establishment of the military alliance between Seoul and Washington.