The statement noted that the Max Thunder joint military exercises being staged in the sky above south Korea from that day are chiefly aimed to "make a precision strike at base of provocation" and drop the supplies to special unit which infiltrated deep into area of the north.

It went on:

Some years ago the first exercises started with more than ten planes involved. Their scale increased every year, expanding into the largest-ever aerial strike exercises with at least 100 planes involved this year. This is a demonstration of armed forces and military pressure upon the north.

South Korea and the U.S. have recently expanded the scale of military exercises and intensified media campaign. This is aimed at intentionally getting on the nerves of the north and escalating military tensions.

It is impossible to have dialogue and negotiation amid the hostile demonstration of armed forces such as the largest-ever aerial strike exercises in the wake of the large-scale landing drill of marine corps.

The statement urged south Korea and the U.S. to immediately stop the Max Thunder, an undisguised demonstration of armed forces against the DPRK.