<Anchor>
Today (1st) Sunday evening, North Korea's Vice-Director Kim Yeo-jeong explicitly demanded the suspension of the ROK-U.S. military exercises. He insisted on choosing between hope and despair.
This is Ahn Jung-shik, a reporter specializing in North Korea.
<Reporter>
Vice-Chairman Kim Yeo-jung's discourse that came out on Sunday evening first stipulated that it was an expanded interpretation of the South's expectations for the restoration of inter-Korean communication lines.
He said that the restoration of the communication line has no meaning beyond a physical connection, and that it is frivolous to even come up with the possibility of an inter-Korean summit in South Korea.
Kim Yeo-jung also expressed her blatant dissatisfaction with the South Korea-U.S. military exercises scheduled for the middle of this month.
He said that he was hearing unpleasant voices that the ROK-U.S. exercises could be carried out, and argued that the ROK-US exercises, which are being held at a time of such an important reversal, would seriously undermine the will of the leaders of the two Koreas to restore trust.
Kim Yeo-jung, who argued that the exercise would be an uninteresting prelude that clouded the future of inter-Korean relations, said North Korea does not make a choice between hope and despair.
This is a warning that inter-Korean relations could be halted again depending on whether or not South Korea-US drills are held.
It is noteworthy how the government will respond as North Korea blatantly links the implementation of the ROK-U.S. military exercise with the progress in inter-Korean relations.
(Video editing: Jeon Min-gyu)