The U.S. and South Korea kicked off large-scale joint military exercises on Monday to practice responses to North Korean nuclear and missile threats, a day after Pyongyang demonstrated its opposition to the drills by testing “strategic” cruise missiles.

The 11-day Freedom Shield exercises began at midnight and seek to strengthen the allies’ joint response capabilities against the backdrop of DPRK military escalations and a changing regional security environment, South Korea’s defense ministry confirmed to NK News.

Troops from the ROK military, U.S. Forces Korea, U.N. Command (UNC) and subordinate units under the Combined Forces Commandare taking part in the