North Korea has hinted at the possibility of responding militarily to joint drills scheduled for early next month between South Korea and the U.S.
 
Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper of the North's ruling Workers' Party, said Tuesday that the U.S. is attempting to invade North Korea by expanding the Key Resolve and Foal Eagle war drills and turning them into a preemptive attack.
 
The paper said that any opportunities for dialogue or diplomatic solutions with Washington have passed, and the North’s only recourse is to maximize its war deterrence or to respond militarily. The paper said the U.S. insists the drills are training for contingencies on the Korean Peninsula, but are in actuality preparations for an invasion. 
 
In another article, Rodong Sinmun said South Korea is responsible for the strained inter-Korean ties. It demanded that Seoul withdraw its confrontational policies and take substantive measures to realize cross-border dialogue.