North Korea has called on South Korea to halt its ongoing military exercise and to block civic groups’ launch of anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets over the border.

The North’s National Defense Commission on Saturday said in a statement that the South’s confrontational attitude is driving inter-Korean relations into catastrophe.

The commission said that if Seoul sincerely hopes for improvements in cross-border relations, it must put an end to the joint military exercise with the U.S. and the Hoguk defense exercise aimed at attacking the North.

The commission also repeated calls for measures by the South to block the launch of anti-North Korea leaflets.

The commission said that South Korea cannot expect any dialogue or contact with the North as long as it continues the acts of confrontation.