North Korea warns of clash as military drills begin

SEOUL — The United States and South Korea began their annual joint military exercises Monday, while North Korea warned that the drills will deepen tensions on the Korean Peninsula by “throwing fuel onto fire.”

Both the United States and South Korea insist that the drills are defensive in nature, but North Korea has long condemned the joint exercises as rehearsals for invasion. During such drills, North Korea has often escalated its warlike rhetoric and lashed out with missile and other weapons tests.

It tested a submarine-launched ballistic missile during the drills in August last year, following it up with a nuclear test, its fifth, the next month.