The statement said:

The world hopes that exchange and cooperation between the north and the south will be promoted on the Korean peninsula and its independent and peaceful reunification will be achieved as early as possible.

But the U.S. is resorting to such vicious moves as setting the Korean nation at variance, turning its back on such trend of the world.

The most typical expression is the U.S.-south Korea joint military drills staged in south Korea and its vicinity every year.

Those drills are offensive ones for invading the DPRK, not "defensive ones" as touted by the U.S. and south Korean authorities.

The National Defence Commission of the DPRK on January 23 in an open letter to the south Korean authorities, political parties, public organizations and people from all walks of life demanded an immediate stop to the war maneuvers for aggression to be staged with outside forces.

Thanks to the DPRK's patient efforts, reunions of separated families and relatives were made in Mt. Kumgang resort.

But the U.S. and south Korean authorities finally kicked off the joint military drills on February 24.

We bitterly protest against the war drills of the U.S. and south Korean authorities against the DPRK and call upon peace-loving progressives to denounce them.

Once again we demand the U.S. stop at once the ongoing provocative war drills against the DPRK.