They branded the Ulji Freedom Guardian joint military exercises as war maneuvers apparently targeted against the DPRK in the light of their scale, contents, nature, etc.

The aggressive nature of the exercises is clearly proved by the fact that "OPLAN 5029" simulating "a contingency in the north" is expected to be put into practice and "Chungmu" exercises aimed at "occupation and control of the north" are to be carried out in parallel with the plan during the military exercises, they held.

The war exercises for aggression now under way under the pretext of the "Cheonan" case are escalating the tension on the Korean Peninsula, they deplored, denouncing the present regime for staging the saber-rattling together with the U.S.

They declared that they would wage a dynamic struggle to urge the Lee Myung Bak regime to roll back its anti-reunification policy and implement the June 15 joint declaration and the October 4 declaration.

Members of the North Jolla Provincial Headquarters of the Confederation of Trade Unions, the North Jolla Provincial Committee of the Democratic Labor Party and the North Jolla Provincial League of the Federation of Peasants Associations also held a press conference outside the provincial office on the same day.

During the exercises they would hold press conferences and conduct information services across south Korea to demonstrate their will for peace against war, they declared.

Meanwhile, a demonstration was staged outside the Puchon City Office in protest against the war exercises.