South Korea's resumption of small-scale military drills with the United States violated a recent agreement aimed at lowering tensions on the Korean Peninsula, North Korean state media said on Monday.

About 500 United States and South Korean marines began military drills last week that were among joint exercises indefinitely suspended in June as Seoul and Washington focused on engaging with North Korea.

The Korean Marine Exchange Program violated a Sept. 19 agreement signed by North and South Korea that called for a halt to "all hostile acts," said the Rodong Sinmun, North Korea's official party newspaper.