Same tune and not so different verse

The Korean People’s Army (KPA) General Staff issued North Korea’s first response to the annual ROK-US combined exercise, Key Resolve, on February 25 via North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (in English) and Korean Central Broadcasting Station (in Korean). The overall tone of this year’s initial denouncement of the ROK-US combined exercise is consistent with those of the past years. Additionally, mentioning of the need for “nuclear deterrent” was also found to be consistent with past years’ statements.

KPA General Staff Denounces Key Resolve 2010:

• Ignoring our repeated warnings, the enemies finally announced that they would stage the Key Resolve and Foal Eagle joing military exercises, which are northward aggression war exercises, from 8 March. (KPA General Staff carried on Korean Central Broadcasting Station [KCBS], 25 February 2010)

• The enemies describe [the joint military exercises] as annual exercises and defense, but [the exercises] are pilot operations and nuclear war exercises aimed at a surprise, preemptive attack on our Republic to all intents and purposes. (KPA General Staff carried on KCBS, 25 February 2010)

• If the US imperialists and South Korean puppet warmongers carry out the aggressive joint military exercises despite our repeated warnings, we will respond to them with our powerful military counteraction, and if necessary, we will mercilessly beat to a muddy place the stronghold of aggression by mobilizing all the offensive and defensive means, including nuclear deterrent. (KPA General Staff carried on KCBS, 25 February 2010)

ROK-US Combined Military Exercises are “an act of provocation and northward aggression”:

• Currently, the US imperialists have drafted an adventurous plan of preemptive nuclear attack of northward aggression and war scenarios according to various circumstances, such as "Operations Plan 5027-04" and "Operations 5030. … These exercises are no different, even a bit, from the existing joint military exercises aiming at northward aggression in terms of scale and aggressive character, although the titles have been changed… (Rodong Sinmun , 13 March 2008)

• The staging of the "Key Resolve" and "Foal Eagle" joint military exercises, as an extremely adventurous and extremely dangerous provocation by those who are dreaming of provoking a nuclear war, is a serious military threat to, and a de facto declaration of war on, our Republic. We can never tolerate the war provocation maneuvers that the belligerent group of Lee Myung-bak is committing for northward aggression in conspiracy with the outside forces. (Rodong Sinmun, 11 March 2009)

• The enemies describe [the joint military exercises] as annual exercises and defense, but [the exercises] are pilot operations and nuclear war exercises aimed at a surprise, preemptive attack on our Republic to all intents and purposes. (KPA General Staff carried on KCBS, 25 February 2010)

Nuclear deterrent needed to defend against “the US and the ROK Aggression”:

• The United States plans to hold reception, staging, onward movement and integration (rsoi) exercises and foal eagle maneuvers with south Korea from March 22. … They are still rendering the situation around the Korean peninsula extremely strained, while intensifying the moves to isolate and stifle the DPRK. The Korean people, who consider independence to be their life and soul, are keeping a close eye on the U.S. moves, while further strengthening the self-defense nuclear deterrent to cope with them. (Korean Central News Agency [KCNA], 14 March 2004)

• At a time when the situation on the Korean peninsula is rushing toward a phase of explosion because of the US hostile policy against the DPRK, on 14 [March], aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk crawled into Pusan Port and a number of naval vessels, including cruisers and destroyers, crawled into South Korean ports. These [naval vessels] are reported to participate in the upcoming RSOI and Foal Eagle joint military exercise that will be staged starting from 19 [March]. … The persistent and adventurous US policy to crush the DPRK compel us to head toward strengthening the nuclear deterrent forces. (Rodong Sinmun, 17 March 2005)

• Intentionally straining the situation on the Korean peninsula with the excuse of the nuclear issue, the United States has carried out one war exercise after another, such as the "Foal Eagle" and the "Ulchi Focus Lens." … While ceaselessly upgrading war exercises, the United States is frantically preparing a war of aggression. Our army and people have achieved single-hearted unity, which is stronger than a nuclear weapon, under the great military-first leadership of the respected and beloved General Kim Jong-il and consolidated the self-defensive nuclear deterrent that can overwhelm the United States' "policy of strength." (Uriminjokkkiri, 25 June 2006)

• In the midst of this confrontation madness, the Lee Myung-bak gang began the first "task" of the regime by playing up to the US warmongers and launching the aggressive "Key Resolve" and "Foal Eagle" joint military exercises, which target their fellow countrymen. … The resolution and will of our army and people, who seek to rescue the fate of the nation and protect the foundation of [our] lives through the nuclear deterrent of justice, are fully charged. Besides South Korean society, those inside the gang are also quite troubled with unease and fear over the risk of the new war that the Lee Myung-bak gang is bringing along now. (Rodong Sinmun, 09 April 2008)

• Our Republic has enough ability and modern military and technological means capable of weakening their "military and technological edge." We trust our own military strength and are proud and confident about them as a matter of fact. An international lesson of the 21st century and our Republic's historic experience say that when [we] have powerful self-defensive national defense capability at our disposal, [we] do not fear any international cordon sanitaire by the united imperialist force or any kind of war. The US warmongers' frantic commotion of nuclear war exercises is pushing us toward reinforcing [our] war deterrent even further. (Rodong Sinmun, 10 March 2009)

• If the US imperialists and South Korean puppet warmongers carry out the aggressive joint military exercises despite our repeated warnings, we will respond to them with our powerful military counteraction, and if necessary, we will mercilessly beat to a muddy place the stronghold of aggression by mobilizing all the offensive and defensive means, including nuclear deterrent. (KPA General Staff carried on KCBS, 25 February 2010)

Continued “US and ROK Aggression” will be met with “Merciless Counterattack”:

• Dialogue and confrontation, and peace and war can never go together. If the enemies dare to ignite a war without discretion, the DPRK will give decisive punishment to the aggressors with merciless counterattack. (KCNA, 05 March 2008)

• There is no limit to the retaliatory measure of the KPA and no one can predict or evade it. If the warmongers dare launch a war of aggression defying our repeated warnings, our revolutionary armed forces will counter it with resolute and merciless just war for reunification. (KCNA, 08 March 2009)

• If the US imperialists and South Korean puppet warmongers carry out the aggressive joint military exercises despite our repeated warnings, we will respond to them with our powerful military counteraction, and if necessary, we will mercilessly beat to a muddy place the stronghold of aggression by mobilizing all the offensive and defensive means, including nuclear deterrent. (KPA General Staff carried on KCBS, 25 February 2010)

The North Korean media has reported on, and denounced, all major ROK-US combined military exercises since the mid-70’s and this year has not been an exception. On February 25, the KPA General Staff issued its denouncement of the planned Key Resolve ROK-US combined military exercise (additional denouncements have followed since). The overall tone of this year’s denouncement has been consistent with those of the past years - “an act of provocation and northward aggression.”

This year’s KPA General Staff statement also said, “…we will mercilessly beat to a muddy place the stronghold of aggression by mobilizing all the offensive and defensive means, including nuclear deterrent.” Use of the term “nuclear deterrent” and the context the term was used in this year’s statement were also found to be consistent with past North Korean denouncements of the ROK-US combined military exercises.