PYONGYANG - No Kwang-chol, minister of National Defence of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), condemned a large-scale joint military exercise between the United States (US) and the Republic of Korea (ROK) to be held from the 18th of this month, saying such a move will pose a serious challenge to the security environment on the Korean Peninsula, state media reported on Monday.

"The Ulji Freedom Shield to be staged under the simulated conditions of a real nuclear war is not only a direct military provocation against the DPRK, but also a real threat to amplify the unpredictability of the situation on the Korean Peninsula in the state of armistice and freeze the instability of the regional situation," No said in a Sunday press statement carried by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The DPRK strongly denounces the United States and the ROK for their provocative moves of clearly showing the stand of military confrontation with the country and making another serious challenge to the security environment on the Korean Peninsula and in the region, and solemnly warns the two countries of the negative consequences, the DPRK defense chief said.

READ MORE: DPRK condemns large-scale US-ROK joint military exercises

The unilateral military threat and confrontation attempt by the United States and the ROK are the main reason why the situation on the Korean Peninsula and in its surrounding region is changing negatively day by day, the senior military official noted in the statement.

"The military demonstration against the DPRK will certainly have a boomerang effect of plunging the security of the US and the ROK into a less safe situation," he was quoted by the KCNA as warning in the statement.

It is the absolute mission of the DPRK armed forces to contain offensive movements of the enemy states, counter their military provocations and defend the security of the state and the peace of the region, the statement said.

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The DPRK armed forces will cope with the war drills of the United States and the ROK with a thoroughgoing and resolute counteraction posture and strictly exercise the sovereign right of the DPRK at the level of the right to self-defense in case of any provocation going beyond the boundary line, it added.