South Korea and US gearing up for military exercises

The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier is escorted into a navy port in Busan, South Korea, on Sunday (Son Hyung-ju/Yonhap/AP)

South Korean and US troops will begin their large annual joint military drills next week to enhance their readiness against North Korean threats, the South Korean military said on Thursday.

The announcement came days after North Korea threatened high-profile provocations against what it called escalating US-led aggression.