North Korea’s defense minister has warned the United States and South Korea of unspecified “negative consequences” ahead of their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercise, set to begin later this month.

In a statement carried by the state-run Korean Central News Agency on Monday, Defense Minister No Kwang Choi condemned the drills as “provocative moves” and “a serious challenge” to security on the Korean Peninsula. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the country’s official name, would “strictly exercise” its sovereign right to self-defense if provoked beyond what it considers acceptable, No said.

The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise will run from August 18 to 28 and will include live field maneuvers, command post simulations, and civil defense training. Around 21,000 personnel are expected to participate. Pyongyang regularly characterizes such joint drills as rehearsals for invasion, often responding with missile launches and other displays of force.

A representative of the South Korea–U.S. Combined Forces Command (CFC) stressed that the exercise is defensive.

“All professional militaries train. North Korea trains, we train. Our training is designed to protect everyone living inside the Republic of Korea,” the official said, adding that the tone of Pyongyang’s warning was “tame compared to historical norms.”

The exercise comes as Seoul attempts to ease tensions. Last week, South Korea removed loudspeakers along the Demilitarized Zone that had broadcast anti-Pyongyang messages, and North Korea has begun dismantling some of its own in response.

Due to extreme heat and flood damage in some training areas, the CFC confirmed that half of the 44 planned field exercises will be pushed to next month. Officials said the changes would have minimal effect on readiness.

“There shouldn’t be any loss in defensive posture from rescheduling,” the CFC representative said.