The statement said Key Resolve and Foal Eagle joint military drills can make a case for a war on the Korean Peninsula.

It recalled that the north took such a tough step of carrying out the third underground nuclear test in reaction to the adoption of the U.S.-backed "resolution on sanctions" at the UN Security Council that followed the north's successful launch of satellite Kwangmyongsong 3-2.

Any act provoking the north during the exercises can make the north take stronger countermeasure as the north will take it as a war action, the statement said, warning that this can soon spill over into a total war.

Now is the time for the people to be fully aware that it is the U.S. which threatens the north with annual reckless war drills while touting "preemptive attack", and take actions for independent reunification and for peace against war, it noted.

As long as war exercises go on, it will be hard to avert a war, the statement said, calling on people of all social standings to turn out in actions to oppose Key Resolve and Foal Eagle military drills, to disrupt the racket for "sanctions" against the DPRK and safeguard peace.