The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Tuesday slammed South Korea for conducting joint military exercises with the United States, saying it will be difficult for the peaceful "spring days" of three years ago to return.

In a statement carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency, Kim Yo-jong said South Korea again chose "March of war" or "March of crisis" instead of "March of warmth," noting that Seoul and Washington kicked off a combined military exercise on March 8. 

Calling the exercise a "rehearsal for war," Kim threatened to scrap a tension-easing military deal signed by the two Koreas in September 2018.

She also warned that the North can't help but consider disbanding the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Farmland, an organization handling cross-border affairs.

Early last week, South Korea and the U.S. kicked off their springtime combined military drills involving a "minimum level of troops" given the COVID-19 situation.

[Photo : YONHAP News]