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In Seoul, on August 6, two women pass by a television showing North Korean missile fire. REUTERS / Kim Hong-Ji

As expected, South Korea and the United States launched joint military exercises on the Korean peninsula earlier this week, despite strong protests and repeated missile firing from North Korea. Early this morning, shortly after the launch of two projectiles into the East Sea, Pyongyang said he would be " forced to look for a new path " if Seoul and Washington " sharpen their sword " to " make him badly . This yet another escalation of tension threatens the resumption of negotiations announced between Washington and Pyongyang around the North Korean nuclear issue?

With our correspondent in Seoul, Louis Palligiano

Kim Jong-un's regime sees red. Despite its strong warnings , joint exercises between the United States and South Korea began yesterday with simulated computer-based military training. Then they will check Seoul's ability to regain operational wartime control of its troops, currently held by Washington.

These maneuvers, whose allies did not want to specify the extent to not cause more Pyongyang, should last a fortnight. A period during which increased provocations from the North are expected to have launched this morning its fourth round of missiles in less than two weeks, according to the Yonhap agency in Seoul, citing the army chief of staff south Korean. Seoul and Washington, however, have already agreed to abandon or reduce their large-scale joint military operations.

North Korea declared on Tuesday (August 6th) that joint US-South Korean military maneuvers were a " blatant violation " of peace efforts on the Korean peninsula and reflected a lack of " political will " on both sides of the Korean peninsula. country to improve relations.

If before and during each of these trainings, Pyongyang systematically denounces a repetition of invasion, it would be especially for the regime of a strategy to have a greater margin of negotiation for the next nuclear discussions. A tense standoff is on the horizon and the allies will have to keep their eyes riveted on the North in the coming days in the face of the risk of new missile launches.