N. Korea warns of 'new level of deterrent' ahead of key S. Korea-US military drills

North Korea on Friday denounced an upcoming joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States, warning it will respond to the drills "with a new level of a deterrent." A spokesperson at North Korea's foreign ministry made the statement, as South Korea and the US are set to begin the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise starting Monday until Aug. 27. North Korea said the US had described the annual exercise as "quite different from the ones of the past five years," framing it as W