PYONGYANG - Leading newspapers of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Saturday said it was the continence of the DPRK that had prevented an all-out war from breaking out.

DPRK's official Minju Choson newspaper said in a commentary that military conflicts and an all-out war had been prevented by the peace-loving DPRK with a strong continence.

Related readings:  DPRK, ROK maintain tough stance  DPRK accuses ROK of raising the abductees issue  ROK to keep Christmas tree lit near DPRK till Jan  DPRK threatens 'holy war' and raises nuclear specter

The moves of the DPRK had been supported by neighboring countries and the international community, and now it is clear who is the real peace guarder and who is the war-provocateur on the Korean Peninsula, the commentary said.

The Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in a commentary that it was only thanks to the DPRK's "courage and continence" and "willingness for peace" that the military provocation of the United States and Republic of Korea (ROK) had not led to an all-out war.

In the commentary, the newspaper also urged the ROK authorities not to make the wrong judgement that the DPRK was too "weak" to launch a counterattack, saying the army of the DPRK was "closely watching over the moves of the warmongers".

Situation on the peninsula is getting tense after the exchange of artillery fire on Nov 23 between the ROK and the DPRK near the western border island of Yeonpyeong, which killed four South Koreans.

On Dec 20, the ROK military held a live fire artillery drill in waters southwest of Yeonpyeong Island near the disputed water maritime border. Later in the day, the DPRK's Army Supreme Command issued a statement, saying it did not "feel any need" to react against the ROK's artillery drill.