SEOUL: Yoon Suk-yeol, the South Korean President, on Monday pledged to respond firmly and sternly to any North Korean provocation as Seoul and Washington fired missiles in response to Pyongyang's missile launches a day before.

Yoon made the remark during a Memorial Day ceremony at Seoul National Cemetery, a day after North Korea launched eight short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) into the East Sea, marking the country's third show of force since the President took office last month, according to news reports.

North Korea's nuclear and missile threats are becoming more sophisticated even now," he said, referring to Sunday's tests. "North Korea's nuclear and missile (projects) are endangering not only the peace on the Korean Peninsula, but also the peace in Northeast Asia and the rest of the world." Yoon stated that his administration will deter nuclear and missile threats as well as develop a "more fundamental and practical security capabilities."

"Any provocation by North Korea would be met with a severe and stern response from our government," he warned. "We will ensure that our people's lives and property are protected without a single flaw." Yoon has adopted a stronger position on North Korea than his predecessor, Moon Jae-in, whose efforts to broker a peace through negotiations with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un failed to prevent the government from expanding its nuclear weapons programmes.

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