South Korea and the U.S. held their largest-ever live-fire military exercises Thursday, in what they say is preparation for any “full-scale attack” from North Korea amid mounting tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Officials say another four drills will take place in the coming weeks. This came just days after South Korea and the European Union agreed to increase security cooperation. This is EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. 

Ursula von der Leyen: “Just like we do not accept Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine, we condemn the DPRK’s constant nuclear saber-rattling. We stand firmly by the Republic of Korea.”

Meanwhile, North Korea labeled plans by South Korea, the U.S. and Japan to share real-time data on North Korean missile launches as “sinister.”