DPRK: Denuclearization will halt

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is warning that it will halt its de-nuclearization process in response to a U.S.-South Korean joint military exercise scheduled for Monday.

The DPRK's official news agency quotes a military statement as saying that the drill is about practicing nuclear warfare and is aimed at attacking the country. The DPRK warns it will bolster its nuclear deterrence for self-defense.

Meanwhile, it says its armed forces will no longer be bound to the Armistice Agreement and the Agreement on Non-aggression between the DPRK and South Korea. It also threatens that all military dialogue with the US and South Korea will be suspended. About 18 thousand military personnel including more than 10,000 U.S. troops will participate in the drill.