North Korea's Foreign Ministry has called on the United Nations to demand an immediate halt to combined military drills by South Korea and the United States.

Kim Sun-kyung, vice minister of Foreign Affairs, made the call in a statement carried by the North’s state Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Sunday.

Kim said that the UN and the international community should strongly demand that South Korea and the United States immediately halt their combined military exercises as well as their provocative words and actions that are escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

The North Korean diplomat said that South Korea and the United States are not even hiding that their exercises include a special training for a surprise attack on the North's key strategic points.

Kim said that due to this "irresponsible" escalation of tensions, the situation on the peninsula and the region is moving in a very worrying direction.

The official then warned that if Seoul and Washington continue threats and military actions, the North may respond with corresponding measures.

North Korea's statement came as South Korea and the United States announced that they will carry out joint military exercises, called Freedom Shield, from March 13 to 23, to strengthen the allies' defensive posture.