Rodong Sinmun Tuesday observes this in a bylined article.

It goes on:

The provocations committed by south Korea were perpetrated by the Lee group extremely hostile towards compatriots and prompted by its evermore undisguised moves to escalate the confrontation of systems.

What bitterness the group has towards compatriots is clearly evidenced by the fact that it set it as a major policy goal to stoke hostility towards fellow countrymen among south Koreans, talking about overall "reexamination" of its "education for unification and security".

The group has gone mad with confrontation of systems, openly negating the dignified socialist system in the DPRK. It has now gone the lengths of malignantly hurting the dignity of the leadership of the DPRK and its system. But the fellow countrymen will surely force the group to pay for all crimes it has committed against the country and nation in a bid to win in the confrontation of systems.

Now that neither dialogue nor cooperation is possible, there remains in the north-south relations only the return of fire for fire.

As the puppet forces made such provocative remarks as not ruling out even a war against the DPRK, its army will react to provocations with punishment and a war with merciless sacred retaliatory war.

The group's policy of confrontation with the DPRK will only precipitate its ruin, warns the article.