Commenting on this, Rodong Sinmun Saturday says:

Intolerable is such hostile act which may escalate tension at a time when a working contact took place for the reunion of separated families and relatives in the north and the south and expectation of people at home and abroad for dialogue and improved relations is running high.

What matters is that the leaflet scattering was not made by chance.

It is none other than the south Korean authorities that should feel accountable for the case.

The DPRK had already underlined the need to refrain from hostile acts of getting the nerves of the dialogue partner and pool efforts to rev up the atmosphere of dialogue from the recognition that it is important to make the situation stable in order to sincerely implement the agreement which was reached at the north-south high-level urgent contact.

However, those who are still seized with the conception of confrontation in south Korea are continuing to perpetrate provocations contrary to the process for improving the inter-Korean relations. As regards the recent leaflet scattering operation, the south Korean authorities are evading the blame, talking about "freedom of expression" and insisting on the stand that "they cannot forcibly limit the leaflet scattering without legal ground".

If they truly want improved inter-Korean relations, they should value the hard-won atmosphere of detente and stop the reckless acts of beclouding the prospect of the reunion of separated families and relatives and dialogue between authorities.

The north-south relations cannot be mended by the efforts of one side only.