SEOUL: North Korea`s military threatened Sunday to launch the "severest punishment" against South Korea for staging massive joint war games with the United States this week.

The North`s army and people will "deal a merciless counterblow" to the allies "as it had already resolved and declared at home and abroad", a spokesman for the country`s army General Staff said in a statement published by state media.

"The military counteraction of (North Korea) will be the severest punishment no one has ever met in the world," he said.

The warning came a day before US and South Korean troops begin the 10-day war games called "Ulchi Freedom Guardian".

BDST: 1517 HRS, August 15, 2010