The Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) generals met the US-led UN military command in the Republic of Korea (ROK) for the first time in about seven years yesterday after Pyongyang warned at the weekend "arrogant" acts by US troops could spark a war.

Local news reports said the DPRK had protested against joint US-ROK military drills that will be held from next week and the activities of American troops stationed in ROK to support its soldiers.

"North Korea (the DPRK) argued that holding the joint military training at a moment when the situation on the Korean peninsula is already tense would only raise more tension," the ROK's Yonhap news agency quoted a military source as saying.