NORTH Korea has criticised the United States for deploying two bombers near its border, describing the move as “provocation” and warning it could lead to nuclear war.

Two B-1B strategic bombers were sent to the Korean Peninsula on Saturday to take part in military drills alongside South Korean fighter jets.

The explicit warning to the rogue north comes after its dictator Kim Jong-un launched an intercontinental ballistic missile.

In an editorial in North Korea’s major newspaper Rodong Sinmun, the regime’s mouthpiece, America’s action was slammed as dangerous.

“The US saying it will regularly deploy strategic bombers to the Korean Peninsula is the same as a crazy act of playing fire on top of an ammunitions locker,” state media said.

“A simple misjudgment or mistake may lead to the outbreak of a nuclear war and that, in turn, is sure to lead to a new world war.”

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The article also justified North Korea’s weapons’ tests as “legitimate and justified measures” amid increasing “threats of nuclear war” against Pyongyang by Washington.

A South Korean air force spokesperson said the aerial manoeuvres conducted on Saturday by Washington and Seoul were a response to the series of ballistic missile launches by North Korea.

The B-1B Lancers flew over the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, and approached the border that separates the two Koreas.

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They were then joined by South Korea’s F-15K and F-16 fighter jets in the eastern province of Gangwon to conduct live-fire drills simulating an attack on key North Korean facilities, the spokesperson said.

These exercises were part of extensive live-fire drills being carried out by Washington and Seoul in response to North Korea’s launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile on Tuesday, and included the launch of several guided missiles and a considerable deployment of their naval and air forces.

The latest North Korean missile launch shows the country has the technology to manufacture missiles capable of travelling between 7,000 and 8,000km, far enough to reach parts of the US.

The drills occurred as US President Donald Trump made a difficult visit to Europe to take part in the G20 summit.

However the American leader appeared out of sync with traditional allies, struggling to show that unorthodox strategies toward rival powers Russia and China can deliver results.

At one point Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and German Chancellor Angela Merkel exchanged a knowing glance as the US president veered off on another tangent.

On North Korea, Trump appeared unable to translate weeks of sustained public pressure and angry tweets on China into meaningful diplomatic progress.

Across the table from Trump, Xi Jinping offered little indication he would impose the type of sanctions that could make Pyongyang think twice about developing ever-more powerful long range nuclear missiles.

Trump was left to abandon his own sense of urgency.

“It may take longer than I like, it may take longer than you’d like ... but there will be success in the end, one way or the other,” he said.