North Korea condemns US military drills with South Korea and Japan

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS George Washington is pictured during Freedom Edge trilateral exercise among United States, Japan and South Korea in the East China Sea, south of the Korean peninsula and west of Japan's main islands November 14, 2024. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea condemned on Saturday recent joint military drills by the United States, South Korea and Japan, warning that it would take immediate actions if needed to defend the state.

Last week, the three countries held a three-day joint exercise, dubbed "Freedom Edge", featuring fighter jets and marine patrol aircraft as well as the U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS George Washington.