North Korea’s efforts to frame its recent artillery and air force drills as responses to South Korean “provocations” reflect its intention to escalate tensions for its own political purposes, rather than any qualitative change in ROK military exercises, experts told NK News this week.

The assessment comes as the DPRK’s Korean People’s Army (KPA) has issued multiple statements that have described its military activities — several of which Seoul says violated an inter-Korean military deal — as a “response” to or “warning” against South Korean artillery and multiple rocket launch system (MLRS) drills, including twice on Wednesday.