The drills launched by the south Korean military against the mindset of people is a deliberate provocation to hamper north-south dialogue by increasing the danger of war and coiling up tension.

We cannot but ask the south Korean authorities whether they have the will to create a peaceful mood on the Korean peninsula through dialogue and negotiations or are set to escalate the tension through confrontation and war drills.

If the south Korean authorities truly want to improve the north-south relations and open up a broad avenue to independent reunification through dialogue and negotiations, they should suspend all war moves including the reckless military exercises with foreign forces and choose to ease the tension and create a peaceful environment on the Korean peninsula.

If they continue to resort to the war drills against the fellow countrymen in the north, following the outside aggression forces, the north-south relations will be driven into the worse phase for which the south Korean authorities will be wholly responsible.

The DPRK is fully ready to decisively counter any provocations violating its sovereignty and dignity in the unprecedented standoff with the U.S. The south Korean authorities should bear this in mind and discontinue the war drills against the fellow countrymen as demanded by the Korean nation.