North Korea's nuclear and missile provocations have continuously intensified. North Korea stressed this year’s ROK-US joint military drill as a reason for provocation and used it to justify its nuclear and missile advancement. North Korea has strategically used the ROK-US joint military exercise to actively build up internal solidarity and convey a message to South Korea and other countries. North Korea's strategic recognition and behavior in relation to the joint military drill must be evaluated both in relation to the post-Kim Il-sung era and separately within the current Kim Jong-un era. This will help understand North Korea's strategic behavior toward the joint military exercise from the perspective of changes and continuity of perception and the strategic environment. This article contends that North Korea's political perception and security concerns regarding the ROK-US joint military exercise have not changed significantly for a long time, but the Kim Jong-un regime has strategically used the joint military drill since 2019 to advance its nuclear capabilities. It does, however, claim that there is no need to be overly concerned about North Korea's provocations, and that joint military exercises and denuclearization efforts must be continuously enhanced.