Tuesday, August 22 2006 15:53 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Pyongyang: A North Korean army spokesman Tuesday condemned the joint annual military exercises by the US and South Korea, vowing to launch preemptive action if necessary.

"(The exercise) is obviously an undisguised military threat and blackmail against the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) and a war action going beyond the phraseology of violation of the Armistice Agreement (AA)," the official Korean Central News Agency quoted a spokesman for the Panmunjom Mission of the Korean People's Army (KPA) as saying.

The spokesman slammed the US for bringing the situation in the Korean peninsula to a crisis stage by launching such joint military exercises.

"No one can vouch that it would not lead to an actual war," he said.

"(The KPA) reserves the right to undertake a preemptive action for self-defence against the enemy at a crucial time it deems necessary to defend itself," he said.

The spokesman said the KPA will not be bound to abide by the AA, as it must protect the country's security and sovereignty.

The US and South Korean forces launched annual joint military exercises on Monday, which took place amid renewed concerns about the DPRK after a news report last week said that it might be preparing to conduct its first-ever known nuclear test.

Some 17,000 troops, including 10,000 Americans, are participating in the exercises named 'Ulchi Focus Lens', which have been conducted regularly on an annual basis since 1975.