Pyongyang: North Korea's foreign ministry announced on Sunday that Pyongyang is committed to maintaining "the toughest counteraction" against the United States as long as it continues to reject North Korea's sovereignty and security interests.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the statement from North Korea's foreign ministry came amidst tensions over joint air drills between South Korea and the United States. The announcement follows U.S. President Donald Trump's recent expression of interest in engaging with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, calling Kim a "smart guy" and signaling a willingness to reach out.

The foreign ministry highlighted the necessity for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to counteract the U.S. "from A to Z" as long as U.S. policies undermine DPRK's sovereignty and security. This stance, according to the ministry, is deemed the most effective approach in dealing with the United States.

The statement also referred to recent military activities, including a four-day combined aerial exercise between Seoul and Washington at a South Korean air base in Wonju, as well as an additional trilateral joint air drill involving Japan. These exercises were described as a "grave challenge" to the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea warned that such military maneuvers would provoke a "reflective counteraction" and emphasized that the country would not allow any imbalance of power. The ministry asserted that the DPRK would take the strongest measures necessary to defend its sovereign rights and security interests, thereby ensuring peace and stability in the region.