They describe the exercises as "annual ones" and "defensive" in a bid to cover up the dangerous and grave nature of the war maneuvers but this is nothing but sheer sophism which can convince no one.

The projected joint military exercises are nuclear war exercises aimed at mounting a preemptive attack on the DPRK to all intents and purposes.

The military doctrine of the U.S. is one of war calling for a preemptive attack and the U.S. and south Korean puppet armed forces' scenario for a war against the DPRK is a scenario for a nuclear war based on the provision of "extended deterrent".

All their military exercises are pursuant to the above-said war doctrine and scenario.

As a matter of fact, the Key Resolve and Foal Eagle have so far been staged according to the "OPLAN 5027", a scenario for an all-out war to occupy the DPRK by a preemptive attack. Last year the U.S. and the south Korean authorities worked out even a document on the provision of the "extended deterrent" presupposing the use of nukes against the DPRK in contingency.

They do not conceal the fact that "equipment, capability and manpower" will be mobilized in the said joint military exercises to the fullest extent. This, needless to say, means the involvement of even the nuclear war forces in the war maneuvers.

What merits a more serious attention is that the U.S. is set to stage such nuclear war exercises at a time when the international community is growing more vocal than ever before calling for a settlement of the nuclear issue of the Korean Peninsula.

Obviously this is a deliberate attempt to disturb peace on the peninsula and torpedo the process for its denuclearization.

The U.S. has always stood in the way of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, pursuing only a war to stifle the DPRK, not seeking a solution to the issue on the basis of respect for sovereignty in relations with the latter.

It is open secret that the U.S. administration ruled by the Democratic Party attempted to provoke a war against the DPRK behind the curtain of denuclearization in the 1990s.

The U.S. is still increasing the nuclear threat through such nuclear war exercises as Key Resolve and Foal Eagle, driving the process for the denuclearization of the peninsula to a collapse.

The reality goes to prove that how urgent and crucial the conclusion of a peace treaty and the termination of the hostile relations are for finding a solution to the nuclear issue on the peninsula and how just the DPRK was when it took measures to have access to nuclear deterrent to cope with U.S. constant military threat.

The process for the denuclearization of the peninsula can never take even a step forward as long as the DPRK and the U.S. remain technically at a war and the latter's threat of a nuclear war against the DPRK remains.

Should the U.S. persist in its unrealistic moves to stifle the DPRK in disregard of its realistic proposal, this will only compel it to boost its nuclear deterrent and its delivery means.