North Korean leader Kim Jong Un guided a meeting of top military officials on that decided on measures for “powerfully” responding to U.S. and South Korean “war provocations,” according to state media on Sunday, as the two allies prepare to hold large-scale springtime drills this week.

The enlarged meeting of the Central Military Commission (CMC) came as the DPRK has ramped up criticism of U.S.-ROK joint military exercises over the past week, warning of “violent physical conflict” if the drills go ahead and conducting a salvo launch of at least six tactical nuclear missiles.