Pyongyang slams US-South Korea military drills

North Korea yesterday threatened unspecified stern steps against the US and South Korea ahead of their upcoming military drills, which Pyongyang called a war rehearsal that claimed would be more provocative than last year.The warning is typical of the harsh rhetoric that North Korea often deploys ahead of major US-South Korean military exercises and suggests that the country could conduct more weapons tests in coming days. North Korea has often used major US-South Korean military training as a pretext to ramp up its testing activities to expand its weapons arsenals and promote public support for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. North Korean flags flutter at Mansu Hill in Pyongyang on July 8. Photo: AFP The US and South Korean militaries are to start their major summertime Ulchi Freedom Shi