SEOUL: According to North Korea's foreign ministry, the United States and its allies' drills have brought the situation to an "extreme red line" and risk turning the peninsula into a "huge war arsenal and a more critical war zone."

According to the statement published by the state news agency KCNA, Pyongyang was not open to dialogue as long as Washington continued its aggressive policies.

According to an unnamed ministry spokesperson, "the military and political situation on the Korean peninsula and in the region has reached an extreme red-line due to the reckless military confrontational manoeuvres and hostile acts of the U.S. and its vassal forces."

The North Korean statement was rejected in Washington by the White House, which also expressed its willingness to meet with North Korean diplomats "at a time and location convenient for them."

A spokesperson for the White House National Security Council stated, "We have made clear we have no hostile intent toward the DPRK and seek serious and sustained diplomacy to address the full range of issues of concern to both countries and the region."

The North Korean statement mentioned U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's trip to Seoul this week. In order to counter North Korea's weapons development and avert war, Austin and his South Korean counterpart committed on Tuesday to increasing military exercises and deploying more "strategic assets," such as aircraft carriers and long-range bombers.

"This is a vivid expression of the U.S. dangerous scenario which will result in turning the Korean peninsula into a huge war arsenal and a more critical war zone," the North Korean statement said.

North Korea will respond to any military moves by the United States, and has strong counteraction strategies, including "the most overwhelming nuclear force" if necessary, the statement added.

As a result of the Korean War, which lasted from 1950 to 1953 and was ended by an armistice rather than a peace treaty, more than 28,500 American troops are stationed in South Korea. "We deny any suggestion that the joint exercises we conduct with regional allies are provocative in any way. These are routine drills that are completely consistent with previous work "The White House released a statement.

Wednesday in New York, South Korea's foreign minister Park Jin met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and urged the organization to continue to pay attention to recent provocations by North Korea and efforts to impose sanctions on the hermit state. Park will meet with Antony Blinken, the secretary of state of the United States, on Friday in Washington, D.C., as part of a four-day visit to the country.

According to South Korea's Defense Ministry, the US and South Korea conducted a joint air exercise on Wednesday using B-1B heavy bombers, F-22 stealth fighters, and F-35 jets from both nations.

In a statement, the Defense Ministry said that the combined air exercises "this time show the U.S.' will and capabilities to provide strong and credible extended deterrence against North Korea's nuclear and missile threats."