The DPRK has vowed to take military action against war games to be jointly held by South Korea and the United States. The official, KCNA news agency, made the warning on Sunday, one day ahead of the drills.

In a statement, the DPRK's military says the exercises are "very dangerous military moves" and a "serious challenge" to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

The DPRK says it will counter "nuclear and missile blackmail" with its "nuclear deterrent".

KRT News Reader, said, "Since South Korea publicly announced that the Key Resolve and Foal Eagle joint military exercises, which are aimed at causing a collapse of our regime, would take place, our military and our people will do everything we can to entirely collapse South Korea's regime and their military power with the US."

The DPRK claims that the exercises are aimed at removing the country's nuclear weapons and missiles and examining the practicability of a "local war" against it. According to the statement, the DPRK will take resolute military measures to deal with the drills.

South Korea and the United States will hold joint military exercises from Monday to March 10.

About 13 thousand US troops and some 200-thousand South Korean soldiers are due to take part in the drills.