North Korea warns of 'unprecedented' response to US-South Korea drills

North Korea has warned of "unprecedented sustained and harsh responses" if South Korea and the United States conduct the planned military drills, accusing the two allies of escalating tensions in the region.

In a statement released on Friday by state media KCNA, North Korea's foreign ministry also said it would consider further military action if the US-influenced UN Security Council continued to put pressure on Pyongyang. The statement came as South Korea and the United States prepare for annual military exercises as part of efforts to counter North Korea.

Meanwhile, South Korea's defense ministry said the drills, dubbed the Deterrence Strategy Committee Tabletop Exercise, are scheduled for Feb. 22 at the Pentagon and will include senior defense policymakers from both sides. It would be their first exercises of this kind since the two countries agreed last year to hold them annually.

The South Korean delegation will be led by Deputy Defense Minister Heo Tae-keun. The US team is led by Siddharth Mohandas, Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia, and Richard Johnson, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear and Weapons of Mass Destruction Policy.

"With a focus on North Korea's nuclear threat, both sides will hold in-depth talks on various measures to strengthen U.S. enhanced deterrence, including information sharing and consultation processes," the ministry said in a statement.