North Korea warns of military action against any threats from U.S., Japan, South Korea

North Korea said on Sunday it stands ready to take military action to counter any security threat against it in a warning against the United States, South Korea and Japan following a recent aerial drill by the allies with a U.S. strategic bomber.

The U.S., South Korea and Japan have been expanding or restoring their trilateral military exercises in response to North Korea’s advancing nuclear program. On Friday, the three countries held a joint air drill involving U.S. nuclear-capable bombers near the Korean Peninsula, as their top military officers met in Seoul.

North Korea views major U.S.-led military drills as invasion rehearsals. Accordingly, it has long argued that it is forced to develop nuclear weapons to defend itself from U.S. military threats.