The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) denounced on Tuesday the United States and South Korea for planning the "Foal Eagle" and "RSOI" war exercises, warning that "the situation in the Korean Peninsula and the rest of Northeast Asia is growing tenser."

"The exercises will be nuclear war exercises aimed at invading the north, to all intents and purposes, in view of their nature, scope and contents," said a spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry.

The military maneuvers, under the simulated conditions of an "emergency" on the Korean Peninsula, would involve US elite forces in South Korea and from the US mainland, the USS Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier and other nuclear strike forces, according to the spokesman.

The spokesman reiterated that the DPRK would seek a peaceful settlement of the nuclear issue and return to the six-party talks if conditions are mature while demanding that the United States retract its remarks denying the DPRK as its dialogue partner and show sincerity in negotiations.

"Nevertheless, the US responded to this just demand of the DPRKwith the large-scale nuclear war drills," the spokesman said, adding, "It is obvious that there is no change in the real intention and the aggressive nature of the Bush administration keen to bring down the system in the DPRK."

The spokesman accused the United States of deteriorating the situation in the peninsula and the rest of Northeast Asia.

"The US nuclear war exercises are touching off bitterer anti-US sentiment among the service persons and people of the DPRK. The DPRK will take necessary counter-measures including the bolsteringof its nuclear arsenal to cope with them," the spokesman warned.

"The reality testifies to the fact that the DPRK's nuclear weapons serve as a powerful deterrent to keep the equilibrium of forces in the region, avert a new war and ensure peace," the spokesman stressed.

Source: Xinhua