The 12-day military exercise, codenamed as Ulchi Focus Lens, will begin on August 18, the US-South Korean combined forces command (CFC) said.

The drill is the biggest of CFC's annual military exercises, largely focusing on a computerized war game involving both South Korean troops and US forces based in and out of the peninsula.

The US-South Korean joint military drills usually invite strong criticism from North Korea.

But the command said: "CFC's preparedness is an effective deterrent to external aggression and serves as the foundation for diplomatic efforts to achieve peace and stability on the Korean peninsula through dialogue."

The two Koreas have still remained technically at war since their 1950-1953 conflict which ended in an armistice, rather than a peace treaty.

South Korea is home to some 37,000 US troops since the war.

Fresh tensions have recently been rising in the region over a standoff over North Korea's nuclear weapons drive condemned by the United States and its allies South Korea and Japan.

WAR.WIRE