North Korea has blasted South Korea and the United States for carrying out a new joint military exercise. 

South Korea and the U.S. kicked off a new combined exercise named "Dong Maeng" on Monday to replace their major springtime Key Resolve drills. The scaled-down military exercise will run through next Tuesday.

The North's Korean Central News Agency(KCNA) said on Thursday that the exercise is a violent violation of the joint declarations and statements that North Korea reached with the U.S. and South Korea. 

The KCNA said this also represents a "frontal challenge" to the desires of all the Korean people and international community for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

[Photo : YONHAP News]