North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a wreath to commemorate the 74th anniversary of Chinese forces’ participation in the Korean War this week, but his concise message and limited state media coverage betrayed a chill in bilateral ties.

Pyongyang’s foreign ministry slammed the U.S.-ROK Freedom Flag aerial drills, labeling the exercises a “dangerous military provocation” and blaming Washington for raising tensions on the peninsula.

The party-run Rodong Sinmun also reported on Kim Jong Un’s order to provide medical treatment for miners, continuing to promote him as a benevolent leader to