In a statement released by the North Korean Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, the pariah state threatened the US with powerful measures.
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Powerful measures
According to the BBC, North Korea perceived the exercises by Washington and Seoul as a practice for its invasion.
'If the US continuously persists in the grave military provocations, [North Korea] will take into account more powerful follow-up measures.'
Kim Jong-un's government issued a direct threat to the security of the US if they do not cede from conducting military exercises.
'If [Washington] does not want any serious developments not suited to its security interests, it should stop the useless and ineffective war exercises at once. If not, it will have to totally take the blame for all the consequences.'
Rising tensions
The current air force military exercise between the US and South Korea is called 'Vigilant Storm' and it will continue until Friday, ABC NEWS reports.
It is one of the largest exercises of the allies to date employing a combined force of over 200 aircrafts, including the state-of-the-art F-35 fighter jets.
Last week the US Pentagon published new defense policy reports which issued stern warnings to Kim Jong-un's regime.
Just 24 hours later North Korea dismissed the threat by test-firing two ballistic missiles into the open sea.
This year alone Kim Jong-un supervised a record launch of over 40 missiles which are able to carry nuclear warheads.
On October 24 the rivalKoreas exchanged warning shots in their buffer zone.
As a response to the rising tensions, the US deployed in the region the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan.
Sources used:
-BBC: 'North Korea threatens US with 'powerful measures' as joint drills begin'
-ABC NEWS: 'North Korea warns US of 'powerful' response to allied drills'
