THE head of the US military insisted yesterday that planned war games on North Korea’s border would go ahead, although Seoul, Beijing and a White House adviser all opposed any use of force against Pyongyang.

Speaking on a visit to China, General Joseph Dunford said he had advised the White House against negotiating over the huge military exercises set to begin on Monday.

“As long as the threat in North Korea exists, we need to maintain a high state of readiness to respond to that threat,” he said.