AKIPRESS.COM - The US and South Korea are conducting annual military drills which consistently infuriate Pyongyang, despite appeals to halt the exercise, BBC reported.

Last week North Korea appeared to back down from a threat to send missiles towards the US Pacific island of Guam, but said it would watch US actions.

It has already condemned these drills as pouring "gasoline on fire".

Washington describes the drills as defensive in nature, but the North sees them as preparation for invasion.

China and Russia had in July proposed a halt on military exercises in exchange for a freeze on missile tests.

But Joseph Dunford, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said last week that the military exercises were "not currently on the table as part of the negotiation at any level" and the Ulchi-Freedom Guardian (UFG) exercises were going ahead as planned.

The US have said these exercises will involve about 17,500 US troops, largely involved in the computer simulation side of the drills. The exercises will last for about 10 days.