North Korea Warning Of Nuclear War Ignored By United States, South Korea

North Korea continues to churn out more warnings and denunciations of the United States and South Korea for their joint military drills which are scheduled to start in late February, The Associated Press reported.

The reclusive country warns that nuclear war could be imminent if South Korea and the United States moved ahead with their soon-to-start, military maneuvers.

Through its state-run media, North Korea officials said the drills are a way for the United States to build up its military forces in Asia so it can invade the country, and take control of the whole region.

"It is the strategic goal of the [United States] to invade [North Korea], bring its neighboring countries under its control with it as a stepping-stone and, furthermore, dominate the whole Asia-Pacific region," the ruling party's Rodong Sinmun said in an analysis on Monday according to the AP. "The U.S. is working hard to kick off large-scale joint military drills this year, too, for the purpose of mounting a pre-emptive nuclear attack upon [North Korea]."

The denunciation of the US began earlier this month, when North Korea's National Defense Commission asked South Korea and the United States to cancel their annual, joint drills, warning that the military maneuvers would only strain inter-Korean relations. The reclusive country, however, "strongly hinted it would maintain its nuclear weapons program while urging South Korea to cancel the drills with the United States," the AP reported.

North Korea also said it would retaliate against any "hostile" moves by attacking the United States, Japan and South Korea, "triggering a military buildup on the Korean peninsula and months of fiery rhetoric," Reuters reported. They also said the drills are equivalent to a declaration of "full scale nuclear war."

Ji Jae Ryong, North Korea's ambassador to China, told reporters at a news conference that North Korea wants to improve relations with South Korea.

"First, we propose taking preparatory measures in response to the warm call for creating an atmosphere for improving North-South ties. In this regard, we officially propose the South Korean authorities take critical measures of halting acts of provoking and slandering the other side from Jan. 30," Ryong said.

Seoul and Washington have essentially ignored North Korea's proposal, the AP reported.