Seoul, November 05 (QNA) - South Korea rejected Russian criticism today regarding its joint military exercises with the United States, stressing that the drills are defensive in nature and aimed at promoting peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

South Korea's foreign ministry issued the statement after a spokesperson at Russia's foreign ministry claimed the South Korea-US exercises are designed "to rehearse preemptive strikes" against North Korea, including with nuclear weapons, and urged Seoul "to respect Pyongyang's sovereign right" to ensure its own security.

"The joint South Korea-US military exercises are defensive in nature and are conducted annually to maintain a robust combined defense posture in response to North Korea's advancing nuclear and missile threats," Yonhap News Agency reported South Korea's's foreign ministry as saying in a statement.

"They contribute to peace and stability not only on the Korean Peninsula but also in Northeast Asia," it added.

South Korea and Washington conduct joint military exercises throughout the year, including regular large-scale exercises and field training drills. (QNA)