South Korea warns of ‘merciless’ response to North’s provocations

South Korea’s president on Tuesday warned Seoul would react “mercilessly to any provocations” from the North, describing the situation over the border as “ominous” as she visited a frontline guard post.

Seoul and Washington have been increasingly concerned over the stability of the North Korean regime following the execution two weeks ago of Jang Song-thaek, a high-level official and uncle of young leader Kim Jong-un.

“The security situation on the Korean peninsula is very grave. North Korea’s internal situation is ominous, raising concerns about provocations,” said South Korean President Park Geun-hye, wearing a military uniform on her first visit to the tense border since taking office in February.

“We should react sternly and mercilessly to any provocations by North Korea,” she said, calling for “watertight security readiness”.

Her warning came as Kim, flanked by senior military officials, visited the mausoleum of his late father in Pyongyang to pay his respects on an important anniversary.

Kim visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, which houses the embalmed bodies of his late father and grandfather, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

Kim’s father, Kim Jong-il, was formally made the country’s top military commander on December 24 in 1991 – three years before the death of his own father and the country’s founding president, Kim Il-sung.