South Korea threatens Pyongyang with “crushing response” amid rising tensions

The Republic of Korea's armed forces will respond decisively to direct provocations by North Korea.

Seoul is still analyzing data on the medium-range ballistic missile launched on January 14, the South Korean Defence Ministry said, TASS reports.

"We issue a serious warning in connection with provocative behaviour that violates UN Security Council resolutions that prohibit the use of ballistic missile technology, we call for a halt to these actions," the ministry said in a statement.

"Our Armed Forces are strengthening the practical U.S.-South Korean extended deterrence capability to deter and respond to missile threats from North Korea. The Armed Forces are strengthening independent capabilities, including the three-axis system," the ministry added.

"Our army, based on joint defence capability with the US, is closely monitoring North Korea's actions. If Pyongyang launches a direct provocation against us, we will give a crushing response based on the principle of 'immediately, decisively and to the end,'" the ministry said.

"North Korea's current missile launch poses a serious threat to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, we strongly condemn it as clear provocative behaviour," said Lee Seong-joon, spokesman for the Republic of Korea Armed Forces Chiefs of Staff Committee.

Asked to comment on North Korea's claim that it tested a solid-fuel medium-range ballistic missile with a hypersonic warhead on January 14, he said the South Korean military was analyzing the data in cooperation with the US and Japanese intelligence agencies.

North Korea's January 14 test of a solid-fuel ballistic missile was a planned test and had nothing to do with the situation in the region, the CTAC news agency reported.