South Korea to Hold its Largest Exercise of the Year

The U.S. told North Korea on Thursday there is no reason to react to South Korea’s announcement of its largest live-fire exercise of the year, well in advance of the exercises. “Everybody, I think, in the world is aware that they're happening. And they are exercises that are defensive in nature,” said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs, South Korea's news agency Yonhap reported.

South Korea scheduled a live-fire exercise at the Pocheon range, west of the heavily guarded border with North Korea. The exercise will include the use of jets and tanks and is the largest of 40 similar drills held with South Korea this year, according to Voice of America.

North Korea threatened a heavy response ahead of a drill held on Monday, yet backed down when the exercise was held. Department of State spokesman Philip Crowley said North Korea will need to apologize for its attacks on Yeonpyeong Island in November, and meet “its international obligations, follow through on the commitments its made, [and] open itself up to international inspection,” before the United States will resume talks, according to Yonhap.