Military of South Korea

The South Korean and U.S. militaries launched their biggest joint military exercises in years Monday, as North Korea said it tested submarine-launched cruise missiles in an apparent protest of the drills it views as an invasion rehearsal.

North Korea test-fired a barrage of short-range ballistic missiles from multiple locations toward the sea on Sunday, South Korea's military said, extending a provocative streak in weapons demonstrations this year that U.S. and South Korean officials say may culminate with a nuclear test explosion.

Its arrival is in support of the large military exercise “Atlantic Resolve”

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Australia said on Sunday they held “grave concerns” about escalating tensions caused by North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes.

Top US and South Korean military officials discussed "military options" in response to North Korea's latest test of what the Pentagon called an intercontinental ballistic missile. South Korea has requested additional missile defense units from the US.

In the midst of ongoing joint military exercises between the United States and South Korea, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has stated that it may attack without warning against what it claims are preparations for an enemy invasion by the West.

Tens of thousands of South Korean and US troops kicked off a large-scale military exercise Monday simulating an all-out attack by North Korea, which has condemned the joint drill as a "declaration of war."