<p>Ten ships and 1,700 troops from both nations were taking part in the five-day manoeuvres off South Korea's west coast, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said.<br /><br />The United States Forces Korea said the war exercise, while defensive in nature, was to "enhance inter-operability and designed to send a clear message of deterrence to North Korea".<br /><br />State-run media in North Korea Sunday said the drills were a "military provocation" aimed at "mounting a pre-emptive attack" on the Stalinist state. North Korea usually criticises joint US-South Korean military exercises as preparations for an attack. <br /><br />The exercise was originally scheduled for early September but was postponed because of a typhoon and now has begun a day before the biggest meeting of the North's ruling Workers Party in 30 years. <br /><br />Observers said they believe 68-year-old dictator Kim Jong Il plans to formally install his youngest son, Kim Jong Un, in an important party position in preparation for his eventual succession. <br /><br />The military drills are the second in a series of manoeuvres planned by the US and South Korea and smaller in scale than a previous exercise conducted in the Sea of Japan in July. <br />Ties between the two Koreas soured after the sinking of a South Korean corvette in March, which killed 46 sailors and which Seoul and Washington blamed on North Korea. Pyongyang denied any responsibility for the incident.<br /></p>
<p>Ten ships and 1,700 troops from both nations were taking part in the five-day manoeuvres off South Korea's west coast, the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said.<br /><br />The United States Forces Korea said the war exercise, while defensive in nature, was to "enhance inter-operability and designed to send a clear message of deterrence to North Korea".<br /><br />State-run media in North Korea Sunday said the drills were a "military provocation" aimed at "mounting a pre-emptive attack" on the Stalinist state. North Korea usually criticises joint US-South Korean military exercises as preparations for an attack. <br /><br />The exercise was originally scheduled for early September but was postponed because of a typhoon and now has begun a day before the biggest meeting of the North's ruling Workers Party in 30 years. <br /><br />Observers said they believe 68-year-old dictator Kim Jong Il plans to formally install his youngest son, Kim Jong Un, in an important party position in preparation for his eventual succession. <br /><br />The military drills are the second in a series of manoeuvres planned by the US and South Korea and smaller in scale than a previous exercise conducted in the Sea of Japan in July. <br />Ties between the two Koreas soured after the sinking of a South Korean corvette in March, which killed 46 sailors and which Seoul and Washington blamed on North Korea. Pyongyang denied any responsibility for the incident.<br /></p>