U.S. and S. Korea complete military drills

SEOUL, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Defense officials say a joint South Korean-U.S. military exercise shows the alliance between the two countries is solid going into the future.

The annual military exercises, called the "Ulchi Freedom Guardian" involved computer simulations and about 56,000 South Korean troops and 10,000 U.S. soldiers, the Yonhap news agency reported Sunday.

North Korean leaders criticized the event as preparation for invading their communist nation. State-controlled news media Sunday said South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's recent comments that Seoul should be ready for any possible conflict with North Korea were "unpardonable wild words of war" and a "grave provocation," Yonhap said.