The US-ROK large-scale joint military drill Ulji Freedom Shield officially started on August 18.

Earlier, the enemies, while widely spreading such false rumour as the so-called adjustment, postponement and reduction of the drill, misled the world community as if they were “contributing” to peace and security on the Korean peninsula and in the region by intentionally adjusting the level of the current war drill “in consideration of the security environment in the region.”

The adjustment farce was not the first time in the 70-odd-year history of the US-ROK war drills for aggression against the DPRK, and every time there were such ear-piercing words as “computer simulation training mode” and “minimization of the level of participation and the reduction of scale.”

However, such silly jargon has never played a practical role in defusing tension on the Korean peninsula and has never had a tinge of influence on the enforcement of provocative and aggressive anti-DPRK war drills.

Under such deceptive and embellishing trick of diverting the attention of the world people elsewhere, the enemies have renewed the worst and highest records in history and steadily increased the scale, form, method and intensity of the US-ROK joint military drills and their provocative and violent nature.

This is an objective fact that no one can deny and a stark reality that is being confirmed again through this year’s drill.

The drill involves the US forces in the ROK and the forces of the ROK army in the main, and the expeditionary force of the US marines and armed forces of “UN Command” member states outside the region. And more than 580 000 persons from 4 000-odd institutions and organizations across the ROK are participating in the drill. The scale of the drill is very enormous and the number of planned field mobile exercises is at the highest level.

The drill scenarios are to be practiced in all-round domains including the ground, sea, air and cyber while steadily updating and applying new manuals and methods of modern warfare. In particular, the preemptive strike elements under the signboard of “deterrence of nuclear use” by someone have been set as the main item of the drill as in the past. This is another vivid expression of the hostile nature of Ulji Freedom Shield for this year.

The enemies are claiming that some items of the field mobile exercises will be postponed to next month, but the basic exercises reflected in the US-ROK joint drill plan will be carried out as they are. Only the trifling drills to be staged by the ROK army alone will be carried over. The fact proves once again that the drill adjustment farce advertised by the current US and the ROK authorities as if it was an unusual measure is nothing but a deceptive trick.

No matter what duplicity of ostrich policy the enemies may use, they can never cover up their immutable nature of the US-ROK joint military drill as the one with the longest history on earth, the largest-ever war drill in the Asia-Pacific region and the most undisguised war rehearsal for aggression in hostility.

In view of the facts of the past and the present, the aggressive and provocative nature of the US-ROK large-scale joint military drill and its negative impact on the situation on the Korean peninsula and in the region remain unchanged.

The world people should know clearly what the source of disaster harming the security of the Korean peninsula and the region is and why we say enemies are enemies.

No matter how many years may pass and how many regimes may change, the US has never changed its hostile policy towards the DPRK, the policy to persistently deny the constitutional position of the DPRK and stifle it by force of arms. The same is true of the wild ambition of the ROK that openly defined in its constitution the DPRK as its main enemy and the inviolable territory of the DPRK as its territory and is dreaming a pipedream of “unification by absorption.”

As long as the hostile entity against the DPRK remains unchanged, there will be no change in the thoroughgoing and merciless will of our armed forces to counter the military provocations of the enemy states, and the trustworthy strength of the DPRK racing for lasting peace settlement on the Korean peninsula and in the region will steadily increase.

The firm will and ability of the DPRK to defend the sovereignty and security of the country against the US-ROK joint military drill which is immutable in hostility will be clearly expressed as practical actions, and it is clear that the DPRK’s counteraction will be proactive and overwhelming.