North Korea criticises US plan for joint military exercises with South Korea

 North Korea slammed the United States on Sunday for its plan to go ahead with its joint military exercises with South Korea despite Pyongyang’s demand for cancellation last week, warning of “strong self-defense countermeasures,” according to (Yonhap) news agency.The US and South Korea are scheduled to hold command post exercise Key Resolve and joint field training exercise Foal Eagle from late February till the end of April to enhance joint combat readiness and deter threats from North Korea. The allies say that the exercises, an annual event for several decades, are defensive in nature.The North, calling them “a nuclear war rehearsal to pre-empt our republic,” said in an article carried by its main newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, that the US “is bluntly posing a threat against us for pre-emptive attacks,” Yonhap said.“If the US wages a nuclear war, we cannot but take far stronger self-defense measures to protect our sovereignty and the dignity of the people,” the North said, calling on Washington to make the “right choice.” Last week, Yonhap said, North Korea proposed the two Koreas stop military provocations and mutual slandering to improve bilateral ties and demanded the cancellation of the upcoming joint exercises.South Korea, however, flatly declined the proposal, questioning its sincerity. Seoul and Washington made it clear that they will carry out the exercises as planned.