At the press conferences, the speakers said that the "tailored deterrence strategy" and the "joint plan for coping with the provocation of a local war" on which the U.S. and the south Korean authorities agreed last year are applied to Key Resolve and Foal Eagle joint military drills for the first time.

They termed the joint military drills being kicked off according to the scenario for a preemptive nuclear attack on the north as the offensive drills increasing the danger of nuclear war on the Korean peninsula.

The scenario of the joint military drills including large-scale combined landing drill, special and psychological warfare, etc. pursues an undisguised aim to stifle the north by force of arms, they noted, adding:

To kick off the joint military drills at a time when the reunion of separated families and relatives is underway is little short of throwing a wet blanket on the process to mend the inter-Korean relations.

They demanded a prompt halt to the joint military drills.