North Korea hawkish and dovish ahead of South-U.S. drills

South Korean soldiers stand guard as a U.S. 2nd Infantry Division tank gets ready during their joint river crossing operation drill in Paju, near the demilitarised zone separating North Korea from the South, north of Seoul May 30, 2013. REUTERS/Lee Jae-Won

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea demanded that South Korea and the United States halt annual military drills due in February and March, saying they were a direct provocation, a statement that suggested a re-run of a sharp escalation in tension last year.

But in a bizarre twist, it also offered a Lunar New Year truce in hostilities, provocations and mutual criticism.