DPRK military says to nullify Korean War armistice agreement

The supreme military command of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said Tuesday that the country would nullify the Korean War Armistice Agreement on Monday, the same day when a U.S.-South Korean military drill is set to kick off.

In response to ongoing U.S.-South Korea military exercises and other "hostile" policies, the Korean People's Army (KPA) would carry out more and stronger countermeasures, a KPA spokesperson said on state TV.

Meanwhile, the DPRK has also decided to halt from Monday the work of its delegation at Panmunjom, where DPRK and South Korean delegates usually meet for communication and negotiations.

The upcoming two-week war game, "Key Resolve", will involve 10,000 South Korean troops and 3,500 U.S. troops in exercises to improve defense readiness.

Meanwhile, another U.S.-South Korean military drill is currently under way. Launched on March 1, the two-month "Foal Eagle" program involves 10,000 U.S. troops and 200,000 South Korean troops.

Despite Seoul's clarification that the annual drills are defensive in nature, Pyongyang on Tuesday denounced them as "an irresponsible and dangerous action" that will further destabilize the current situation.

In Tuesday's statement, the KPA spokesperson said the drills showed Washington and its allies were moving beyond economic sanctions into blunt military aggression.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman said Tuesday that Beijing expects all parties "to do more to ease tensions on the peninsula and promote regional peace and stability."

The DPRK conducted its third nuclear test on Feb. 12, which drew condemnation from the international community. The United States and some other countries are pressing for stricter sanctions against Pyongyang at the UN Security Council.

Signed in 1953 to end the Korean War, the armistice agreement is designed to "insure a complete cessation of hostilities and of all acts of armed force in Korea until a final peaceful settlement is achieved."

However, the DPRK has not signed a peace treaty with either South Korea or the United States.