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South Korea and the United States kicked off their annual military drills Monday, aimed at enhancing their joint defense capabilities’ response to North Korea’s evolving nuclear and missile programs, as well as its cooperation with Russia, Radio Free Asia reported.

The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises – running until Aug. 29 – will include computer-simulated war games and more than 40 types of field exercises, such as live-fire drills and filed maneuvers. Around 19,000 South Korean troops will participate, although the exact number of US troops involved in the drills has not been confirmed.

There are around 28,500 US military personnel stationed in South Korea.

The focus of the drills is to prepare for a range of realistic threats from Pyongyang, including cyberattacks, GPS jamming and missile strikes.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol emphasized the importance of readiness against North Korea, calling the neighboring nation “the most reckless and irrational country in the world,” Reuters noted. He added that these exercises are crucial for maintaining a strong deterrence and defense posture on the Korean Peninsula.

In response, North Korea has condemned the exercises as rehearsals for invasion and nuclear war. Pyongyang officials claimed that the country’s nuclear ambitions are justified as a deterrent against what it sees as provocative war drills by the US and South Korea.

The military drills come amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Korean Peninsula, as North Korea continues to develop its nuclear program while fostering closer relations with Russia.

During similar exercises last year, Pyongyang conducted a series of ballistic missile tests, saying they simulated nuclear strikes on South Korean targets.

North Korea has also come under accusations from the West that it is supplying Russia with weapons to aid Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, according to the Associated Press.