South Korea is refusing to delay joint military drills with the United States, as requested by North Korea during high-level talks this week.


The annual war games are set to begin later this month, around the same time as planned reunions between families separated by the Korean War.


Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said the North's threat to call off the reunions because of the exercises was inappropriate.


The two sides Wednesday held their highest-level talks in seven years. Seoul says Pyongyang demanded a two-day delay in the drills.

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North has for weeks asked for a cancellation or, more recently, a relocation of the drills. It views them as an unacceptable rehearsal for invasion.