Commenting on this, Rodong Sinmun Friday notes:

The south Korean authorities claim that the drills were "defensive ones" aimed at "enhancing the capability" for coping with catastrophe and crisis so that they cannot be a violation of the north-south agreement on the military field. But they can never hide the provocative nature of the drills and confrontational motive.

The above-said drills constitute another reckless and risky racket for igniting a war against the DPRK.

The provocative and risky nature of the war drumbeats was fully proved by the announcement that the drills were designed to improve the wartime operational capabilities and joint operation capabilities under the simulated conditions of "north's overall attack on the south."

The behavior of the south Korean authorities is a wanton violation of the north-south agreement on the military field and a foolhardy military provocation endangering the north-south relations and peace of the Korean peninsula and deteriorating the situation.

Such duplicity of the south Korean authorities as talking about implementation of the north-south relations in public and resorting to war ruckus against the fellow countrymen in the north behind the scene can never be justified.

If the south Korean authorities truly hope for the sustained development of the north-south relations and peace and prosperity of the Korean peninsula, they should refrain from inciting the idea of confrontation with the north and straining the situation and drop the hidden dagger first.

The south Korean authorities should bear deep mind that if they persist in such risky military gambling, the north-south relations will be brought back to the past of acute confrontation.