North Korea has slammed a major joint exercise planned by the South Korean and the US militaries as “direct military provocation.” Pyongyang also warned of “resolute counteraction posture” to defend national security against the large-scale 11-day drills. North Korea’s Defence Minister No Kwang Chol said its military has an “absolute mission” to defend against drills which he said posed a real and dangerous threat. North Korea routinely denounces military drills by the South and the US, having called some previous exercises “a rehearsal” for nuclear war.South Korea and the US would begin drills on August 18 to test command control and troop mobilisation under an upgraded security strategy. However, the allies said a major part of the field exercise would be postponed and conducted separately next month, citing weather conditions. The postponement was widely seen as prompted by South Korea’s liberal President Lee Jae Myung to ease tension with Pyongyang. n18oc_world n18oc_crux0:00 INTRODUCTION2:40 NORTH KOREA DISMANTLING PROPAGANDA LOUDSPEAKERS4:54 US KOREA FORCES COMMANDER: UNC ROLE TO ‘ABSOLUTELY’ EVOLVE6:44 LUKASHENKO ADMITS NORTH KOREAN TROOP INVOLVEMENT IN UKRAINE