South Korea rejects North's call to halt drills with U.S.

South Korea's Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok attends a briefing at the Defense Ministry in Seoul September 24, 2013. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea on Friday rejected a call from the reclusive North to halt "provocative" military drills with the United States, saying that as a democracy it did not launch pre-emptive strikes.

North Korea traditionally demands the South to call off the drills, scheduled for February and March this year, labelling them as a prelude to invasion, but this year it also suggested both sides take steps to ease tension, including a moratorium on mutual verbal attacks.