Units of various levels of the puppet army including the 3rd and 6th corps and the 11th mechanized infantry division have simultaneously launched on January 2 such drills as ones for firing demonstration, survival and overcoming difficulties in biting cold, field mobile operations and artillery firing. Against this backdrop, brass hats of the south Korean military noisily trumpeted about what they called "certain victory" and "perfect combat posture."

Rodong Sinmun Saturday observes in a commentary in this regard:

Needless to say, such saber-rattling is chilling the atmosphere of repairing the north-south relations amid the great expectations of all Koreans and again escalating confrontation and tension.

Whenever there was a sign of improvement of the north-south relations, the south Korean authorities deliberately hurled war maniacs into saber-rattling. This racket is a deliberate provocation of confrontation maniacs opposed to the improvement of the inter-Korean relations.

The south Korean authorities are now becoming vocal urging the north to show "sincerity" and take a "practical action" as regards north-south dialogue.

As seen above, they are busy staging mad-cap war drills targeting their dialogue partner, screwing up tension from the outset of the year.

They are sadly mistaken if they think such double-dealing attitude as calling for dialogue while staging such saber-rattling can work.

If the inter-Korean relations are again thrown into the evil cycle of confrontation due to such reckless drills, the south Korean authorities will be held wholly accountable for it.