The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said on Wednesday it will take "every necessary measure" to protect its sovereignty, in response to a joint military exercise staged by South Korea and the United States.

A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry accused the United States and South Korea of posing threat to the country by staging the DPRK-targeted war drills, when answering questions of the official KCNA news agency.

"This situation hardens the will of the DPRK to bolster up its defence capability in every way no matter what others may say," the spokesman said.

He specially lashed out at the U.S. Obama administration, blaming it was "working hard to infringe upon the sovereignty of the DPRK."

About 26,000 U.S. and South Korean troops are participating in the annual drills, code-named the Key Resolve and the Foal Eagle, which started Monday and will last till March 20.

The DPRK has ordered its army to be on combat readiness, after the United States and South Korea went ahead with the drills, in spite of the DPRK's repeated calls for canceling the military exercises.

(Xinhua News Agency March 11, 2009)