{
  "id": 1837927,
  "title": "North Korea slams joint US-South drills as ‘open threat’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/north-korea-slams-joint-us-south-drills-as-open-threat",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-18T23:51:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2026/08/19/north-korea-slams-joint-us-south-drills-as-open-threat"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "North Korea's state media has denounced the joint US-South Korea military drills as the most direct and overt threat to Pyongyang and regional stability. The commentary, published by the Korean Central News Agency, did not address US President Donald Trump's recent directive to reduce the scale of the Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises. Trump's decision, announced on Sunday, came just a day prior to the drill's scheduled commencement, and he labeled the exercises as \"inappropriate and hostile.\" The North, which possesses nuclear weapons, has consistently condemned the drills, perceiving them as rehearsals for an invasion. In its commentary, titled \"We Will Exercise Our Right to Self-Defence for Neutralising Military Threat from Hostile Forces through More Transparent Action,\" North Korea vowed to strengthen its defensive capabilities through transparent measures. However, the commentary did not mention Trump's order or his expressed intention to restart negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The US maintains approximately 28,500 troops in South Korea as part of its defense strategy stemming from the 1950-53 Korean War, which concluded with an armistice rather than a peace treaty.",
  "summary": "The nuclear-armed North Korea has long voiced outrage at the drills, considering them dress rehearsals for an invasion.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Daily NK",
        "title": "North Korea taps reserve grain stocks as farm workers in South Hwanghae go hungry",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/north-korea-taps-reserve-grain-stocks-as-farm-workers-in-south",
        "published": "2026-08-18T22:56:56.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "North Korea slams joint US-South drills as ‘open threat’",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/north-korea-slams-joint-us-south-drills-as-open-threat-1841743",
        "published": "2026-08-18T23:51:07.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "North Korea media slams joint US-South drills as 'open threat'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/north-korea-media-slams-joint-us-south-drills-as-open-threat",
        "published": "2026-08-19T00:08:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "US, South Korea slash joint military drills by half as Trump eyes Kim summit",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/us-south-korea-slash-joint-military-drills-by-half-as-trump-eyes-kim",
        "published": "2026-08-19T01:03:39.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}