Five-day US-South Korean naval exercises being in South Korean territorial waters. Pyongyang reacts by protesting, calling for the drill's cancellation, whilst continuing to fire projectiles into the sea. Meanwhile, the two Koreas are, asks to cancel the event and continues to fire short-range missiles. Meanwhile, the two Koreas organise joint meet to prepare for Asian Games in Incheon.

Seoul (AsiaNews) - South Korea and the United States this morning kicked off joint military naval exercises. The drill, which will last five days, will involve two Korean Navy Aegis ships, the US aircraft carrier USS George Washington and several cruisers from both nations in the maritime area north of Jeju Island and south-west of Mokpo.

The war games are likely to trigger tensions with North Korea, which has repeatedly called for the cancellation of the annual US-South Korea naval drill.

For Pyongyang, which has recently fired short-range projectiles in its territorial waters, these exercises are a "reckless" act of provocation" that threatens the peace on the Korean peninsula.

For its part, the South Korean government, led by conservative President Park Geun-hye, has responded to these threats by reiterating that the United States and South Korea are bound by various bilateral agreements. What is more, a spokesperson for the South Korean Navy said that the exercises are defensive in nature.

Meanwhile, relations on the peninsula remain tense and unpredictable. Nevertheless, Seoul and Pyongyang announced yesterday that North Korea men's archery team would train in the South ahead of the Asian Games in Incheon set to start on 19 September.

Officials from the two Koreas met this morning in Panmunjom - in the Demilitarised Zone that divides Korea - to discuss the event and consult on any new partnership.

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