Mattis: Reduction in US troops in joint drills with ROK not caused by DPRK tensions

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US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis denied Sunday that the reduction in scale of the joint military exercises with South Korea, which begin on Monday, is because of the recent tensions on the Korean Peninsula and Pyongyang's objection to the exercises.

"This right now is an exercise to make certain that we're ready to defend South Korea and our allies over there," Mattis told reporters en route to Jordan.

The "Ulchi Freedom Guardian" joint drill, which runs until August 31, involves 17,500 US servicemem, down from 25,000 last year.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) warned on Sunday that the US will be "pouring gasoline on fire" by conducting the military exercises with South Korea.

"The joint exercise is the most explicit expression of hostility against us and no one can guarantee that the exercise won't evolve into actual fighting," said an editorial published by the DPRK's official Rodong Sinmun newspaper.

A war of words between Pyongyang and Washington spiked following the former's launch of two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) in July and its threat to target the US Pacific territory of Guam with missiles.

China has urged all parties to seriously consider its dual suspension proposal, according to which the DPRK would suspend its nuclear and missile tests in exchange for the suspension of large-scale joint military exercises between the US and South Korea.

"While keeping on taking measures to curb DPRK's nuclear and missile programs, parties need to undertake their due responsibilities respectively and work harder to promote an early resumption of talks," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said last week during a regular press conference, saying that all parties should "give positive consideration" to the "suspension for suspension" proposal.