US and South Korea Begin New Set of Military Drills Despite North Korean and Chinese Objections

South Korea and the United States kicked off their latest round of military exercises on Monday allegedly aimed at enhancing joint defense capabilities and deterring potential provocations.

The 11-day large-scale war games drew vehement condemnation and stern warnings from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), casting a grimmer shadow over the Korean Peninsula in the wake of the March sinking of a South Korean warship.

South Korea and the United States began a new round of war games Monday, involving about 30,000 U.S. forces and 56,000 South Korean personnel.

The 10-day operation is the second massive joint military exercise in less than a month. But unlike the earlier drill in the Sea of Japan, this exercise is land-based and involves relatively few troop movements.