North Korea warns of ‘toughest reaction’ to allies’ drills

By KIM TONG-HYUNG
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea has threatened the “toughest reaction” to the United States’ expanding joint military exercises with South Korea to counter the North’s growing nuclear weapons ambitions, accusing the allies of pushing tensions to an “extreme red line.” The statement by Pyongyang’s Foreign Ministry was in response to comments by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. He said on a visit to Seoul this week that the United States would increase its deployment of advanced weapons to the Korean Peninsula as it strengthens training with South Korea. South Korea’s Defense Ministry said United States flew B-1B bombers and F-22 and F-35 fighter jets in an exercise with South Korean fighters on Wednesday.