South Korea and the United States launched their annual joint military exercises on Sunday despite Pyongyang's condemnation that the drills are raising tension on the peninsula and threatening a peaceful solution to the nuclear issue.

According to the Combined Forces Command (CFC), a total of 29, 000 U.S. troops will take part in the Reception, Staging, Onward Movement and Integration (RSOI) exercise as well as the Foal Eagle exercise conducted throughout South Korea. The exercise will be concluded on March 31.

U.S. Navy's nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the USS Ronald Reagan, and a wing of F-117 Stealth bombers will also participate in the exercises. South Korea is believed to mobilize more troops than the U.S. side for the two exercises.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea has repeatedly expressed its opposition against the drills, criticizing them as "very dangerous provocation" that cast a shadow over the implementation of the agreement adopted at the 5th round of Six- party Talks on the Nuclear issues on the Korean Peninsula in mid- February.

Source: Xinhua