North Korea has blasted South Korea and the United States for an upcoming joint military exercise, saying it nullifies any reason to hold proposed inter-Korean talks of generals.

The North's Korea Central News Agency said in a Saturday commentary that the drill is nothing but a "large-scale nuclear war exercise" against the North.

The commentary came a day after the two Koreas failed to set a date for the generals' talks because of what the North called "unripe" conditions.

South Korea and the United States will hold their annual Ulchi Focus Lens exercises between August 22nd to September 2nd.