S. Korea rejects Russia's criticism of joint military exercises with US

South Korea on Thursday dismissed Russia's assertion that its joint military drills with the United States are intended to simulate preemptive attacks against North Korea. Seoul's foreign ministry affirmed that the exercises are purely defensive and aimed at fostering peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. The ministry's statement came after a Russia foreign ministry spokesperson alleged the joint U.S.-South Korea exercises serve to rehearse nuclear strikes against Pyongyang and urged Seoul to respect North Korea's sovereign right to secure its own security.

The annual joint South Korea-U.S. military exercises are designed to maintain a strong combined defense posture in response to North Korea's escalating nuclear and missile threats, Seoul's foreign ministry emphasized in a communication to the Yonhap News Agency. These drills are part of a regular series of large-scale exercises and field training drills between Seoul and Washington.