By Kang Seung-woo

Pyongyang watchers gave mixed responses to North Korea's denunciation of an ongoing combined military exercise between South Korea and the United States, Tuesday, with some saying it had toned down its usual rhetoric against the annual drill to keep possible dialogue with the U.S. alive, while others claimed it indicated a return to confrontational inter-Korean relations.

Kim Yo-jong / Korea Times file

According to the Korean Central News Agency, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, issued a statement critical of the joint military exercises that were launched March 8 for an 11-day run through Thursday. She warned of no replay of inter-Korean detente and an end to a military tension-reducing agreement.

"We have stressed it several times and offered ample opportunity to them, exercising patience," said Kim, who is in charge of dealing with Seoul and Washington.

"Nevertheless, they opted for War in March and Crisis in March again under the eyes of all Koreans, instead of Warmth in March … the South Korea authorities should realize that they have chosen a wrong deed of crossing the red line by themselves though they also don't like to do so."

Kim added that it would be hard to see again the spring days shown three years ago, referring to inter-Korean reconciliation in 2018 when three cross-border summits took place.

The harsh rhetoric came two months after the North Korean leader warned against the South's "hostile military acts," such as the joint military exercises with the U.S. and the acquisition of up state-of-the-art military assets, during January's party congress, adding that restoring bilateral ties depended on the Moon Jae-in administration's behavior. The North routinely denounces the joint drills as a rehearsal for invasion.

Kim Yo-jong, the regime's de facto second-in-command, also threatened to disband the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country that handles cross-border affairs, the Mount Geumgang International Tourism Bureau and other organizations, saying there was no reason for such bodies to exist anymore.

She also gave a warning to the new Joe Biden administration, saying that if it wants to sleep in peace for the coming four years, it had better refrain from "causing a stink" at its first step.

It was the North's first response to the Biden administration, inaugurated in January, and was made a day before U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin arrive here for talks with their South Korean counterparts and to pay a courtesy call on President Moon.

"North Korea usually makes it clear what actions it will take against hostility toward the country, but it did not elaborate this time. The whole message is directed toward the U.S. on the occasion of the planned arrival of Blinken and Austin," said Park Won-gon, a professor of North Korean studies at Ewha Womans University, adding that the North is taking a wait-and-see approach toward the U.S. which is currently conducting a policy review of the North.

"In addition, the Kim statement is a message to locals there given that it was published in the Rodong Sinmun, Tuesday. During the party congress, the North Korean leader proclaimed his opposition to the joint exercise and its citizens are also aware of it, so they had no choice but to mention the training," Park added.

Regarding scrapping the military agreement and removing the tourism bureau, Park said these did not carry extra significance because the North is not set to normalize its relations with the South until it makes a progress in talks with the U.S.

However, Kim Dong-yub, a professor of North Korean studies at Kyungnam University's Institute of Far Eastern Studies, said the North Korean regime could make some move due to its track record.

"In June of last year, Kim Yo-jong warned of the collapse of the inter-Korean liaison office and three days later, the North unilaterally demolished it," he said.

"In addition, should the North dissolve the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country and other organizations dealing with inter-Korean affairs, it means inter-Korean ties would go back to the way they were before the June 15 summit."

The historic first summit between South and North Korea took place on June 15, 2000 between the late President Kim Dae-jung and the late North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, father of the current leader, which paved the way for inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation.

Kim Dong-yub was also concerned about a possible military provocation as the North Korean leader vowed to continuously strengthen the country's military capabilities during the party congress, which will require the testing of any new weapons systems.