Timed to coincide with these exercises, joint ground exercises were staged in Phaju and Koyang cities, Kyonggi Province, with civilians, administrative officials and police involved.

Rodong Sinmun Monday observes in a by-lined commentary in this regard:

The above-said saber-rattling is a blatant challenge to the DPRK and a revelation of a criminal scenario to escalate the military tension on the Korean Peninsula and ignite a war of aggression against it at any cost, the commentary notes, and continues:

The danger of the recent maneuvers lies in that they were just like an overture of a ground attack to be mounted on the DPRK from an area close to the Military Demarcation Line.

What should not be overlooked is the fact that the U.S. imperialists hurled into the war maneuvers the Bradley armored cars which they used in the land attack operations in Iraq in 2003.

It is by no means fortuitous that the above-said tactical maneuvers were staged by the U.S. warmongers who are contemplating conducting joint military maneuvers in the waters around Paekryong Island with south Korean puppet forces in July.

It is their scenario to finally round off their naval strike operation in the waters around Paekryong Island and ground attack operation in the areas along the MDL in an effort to create a phase favorable for provoking the second Korean War. The combined tactical exercise staged by them in the area close to the MDL was to serve that purpose.

The U.S. would be well advised to stop at once the above-said adventurous saber-rattling.