North Korea's propaganda outlets slammed the South Korea-U.S. joint military drills, accusing them of driving a tense situation on the Korean peninsula to the extreme.

A state-controlled news website, Uriminzokkiri, called the drills an “exercise to invade North Korea,” describing it as “reckless and dangerous war games” pushing an already unstable situation to its very limits.

It went on to say that inter-Korean relations are in “the worst state” after the joint operation of a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group and Japan’s Maritime Self-Defense Force off Korea's East Sea, an operation it claimed was the result of President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol group's belligerent madness.

Another propaganda website, Arirang Meari, also denounced the drills, saying their true objective is the perfection of their operational capabilities for an invasion of the North.

It warned that Seoul and Washington's provocative acts could bring an unexpected and tragic situation, saying that South Korea should seriously consider the possible consequences and be cautious.

The South Korea-U.S. combined drills will run through next Thursday.