NK ramping up criticism over joint air drills

By Lee Min-hyung

North Korea is ramping up criticism about the joint air force exercises by Seoul and Washington, calling them a “rash act of military provocation.”

“The South should contemplate the consequences of its reckless military provocations,” the Rodong Sinmun, the regime's mouthpiece reported Wednesday.

The report came at a critical juncture when inter-Korean relations face an unexpected challenge in the wake of the North's sudden decision to cancel a scheduled high-level meeting with the South.

In recent weeks, the two Koreas have remained on good terms by exchanging a series of uncommon peace gestures. The inter-Korean ties reached their peak late last month when South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un held a historic summit in the southern part of the truce village of Panmunjeom.

But the dialogue mood has been put on hold since last week when the regime suddenly decided to cancel the planned inter-Korean meeting, citing the ongoing Max Thunder exercises.

The newspaper also severely denounced the recent launch ceremony of the Republic of Korea Navy's 14,500-ton amphibious assault ship, Marado. The North said holding the event was a move against the historic Panmunjeom Declaration, a series of agreements signed by the leaders of the two Koreas on the sidelines of the inter-Korean summit last month.

Pyongyang said the event was aimed at preparing for a possible attack of the North.

The newspaper also said opportunities for dialogue and improving relations have come to nothing between the two Koreas, as the South did not fulfill the joint agreement and held large-scale joint military exercises with the United States.

Despite the threats from Pyongyang, Seoul and Washington agreed to conduct the two-week-long air drills as planned, which ends Friday.