North Korea back downed from a threat to send missiles towards the US Pacific island of Guam, but said it would watch US actions.
The drills can be described as defensive in nature, but the North sees them as preparation for invasion.
China and Russia had in July proposed a halt on military exercises in exchange for a freeze on missile tests.
But Joseph Dunford, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said last week that the military exercises were “not currently on the table as part of the negotiation at any level” and the Ulchi-Freedom Guardian (UFG) exercises were going ahead as planned.
About 17,500 US troops and 50,000 South Korean troops are involved in the exercises, which will last for about 10 days.
After North Korea’s threats of Guam and an almost unprecedented war of words over Pyongyang’s repeated missile tests, analysts have warned that the joint drills may be seen as a provocation at a, particularly sensitive time.
North Korea’s official government newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, said the exercises would worsen the state of the peninsula and warn of an “uncontrollable phase of a nuclear war”.
South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in responded on Monday that Pyongyang should not use the exercises “as a pretext for aggravating the situation”, reported Yonhap news agency.
The drills have also been met with some opposition in South Korea, where protests were also held.
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