North Korea claimed on Tuesday that inter-Korean relations have entered a virtual state of war due to the South Korea-U.S. Ulchi Freedom Guardian military exercises that are currently under way.
 
The Rodong Sinmun, the ruling Workers' Party's official newspaper, said the situation surrounding the two Koreas has become extremely serious due to the joint military drills.
 
The paper noted that as the exercise comes amid a series of alarming events along the military demarcation line, the seriousness of the drills cannot be dismissed.
 
The paper also said the South’s loudspeaker broadcasts along the inter-Korean border and the distribution of anti-North Korea leaflets are obvious acts of psychological warfare and preludes to war.