North Korean defence minister criticises joint military drills by US, Japan and South Korea

North Korea's newly appointed defence ‌minister, Kim Song-gi, has called the upcoming joint military drills to be held ​by South Korea, Japan and ​the United States a provocation, state ⁠media KCNA reported on Monday.Kim ​also vowed to take "strong and reflective ​countermeasures" if the U.S. and its allies sought a new military confrontation, in a ​statement carried by KCNA.South Korea, ​Japan and the United States are set ‌to ⁠conduct the annual defensive "Freedom Edge" drills from September 9 to 11. They will be held in international waters ​to the ​south ⁠and east of the South Korean island of ​Jeju, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of ​Staff ⁠said last week.The trilateral exercise comes after U.S. President Donald Trump scaled ⁠back ​a major joint exercise ​with South Korea last month. - Reuters