A massive rally took place in North Korea’s capital Pyongyang Monday protesting what the communist country calls continued “provocations” by South Korea.

The state-run Korean Central Broadcasting Station said more than 100,000 citizens and soldiers took part in the rally led by senior party and military officials.

North Korea’s official media reported that a statement by the army’s supreme command was read out at the gathering. The statement condemned South Korea’s leadership and President Lee Myung-bak as a “group of unparalleled traitors.”

A North Korean People’s Army general, Jang Jong Nam, was quoted as saying that “there remains between the North and the South only physical settlement of returning fire for fire.”

In recent years, the North Korean government, military and news media have issued numerous statements and articles condemning South Korean leaders.

Relations between the two Koreas have deteriorated since President Lee took office in South Korea in 2008 and refused to continue to aid the impoverished North unless it can demonstrate concrete progress toward nuclear disarmament.