North Korea's media repeated its criticism of South Korea for carrying out military exercises on Thursday, calling them an "outright provocation" and "violation" of the inter-Korean agreement to halt hostility toward each other.
"The war training commotion by the warmongers is a grave violation of the agreement between the militaries of the North and the South that promised to completely halt hostilities toward each other," Uriminzokkiri, the North's external propaganda outlet, said in a commentary. "It is an outright provocation to a partner for negotiations."
(Yonhap)
In September, the two Koreas signed a military agreement in which they promised to halt hostilities toward each other and dismantle front-line guard posts as part of efforts to building mutual trust.
South Korea conducted its own annual military drills involving the Army, Air Force and Marine Corps aimed at enhancing their interoperability. South Korea and the United States have also been engaging in joint marine exercises since Nov. 5.
South Korea called them "defensive" drills, but the North has criticized them, saying that they would not be helpful in easing tensions.
The Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the North's ruling party, recently blasted South Korea for conducting such military drills, saying that Seoul and Washington should "behave reasonably" and abstain from "anachronistic" military acts that could undermine dialogue and peace on the Korean Peninsula. (Yonhap)
