A press release was read out at the conference.

It recalled that the air force of south Korea staged joint drills with the Japan Air "Self-Defense Force" while participating in the Red Flag joint military exercises which started in the U.S. under the sponsorship of the U.S. forces some days ago.

Japan's participation in the military exercises is providing a stepping-stone for expanding the scope of its military activities and rearming itself as it is claiming the "right to collective self-defense", it charged.

It condemned the authorities for backing Japan in its efforts to escalate overseas activities of the SDF and rearm itself for militarism, far from demanding it reflect on and make reparation for the enormous damage done to the Korean nation in the past.

The U.S. is forcing south Korea and Japan to boost military cooperation in a bid to knock into shape the tri-angular military alliance, it said, adding: All this is pursuant to the scenario to attack the north.

It demanded the authorities stop at once all the military cooperation including joint military exercises with Japan.