SEOUL – South Korean and U.S. forces began two week-long military drills this morning – a move that North Korea says could justify “pre-emptive” nuclear strikes in response.

Pyongyang cut an emergency communication line that links the two Koreas after the drills began, following up on an earlier threat that promised to end communications should today’s drills go ahead.

“Key Resolve” is the second stage of U.S. – ROK military exercises amid the ongoing “Foal Eagle” joint-operation that sees some 10,000 South Korean forces training alongside 3,500 American personnel.  The drills are labelled as primarily defensive in nature, but North