By Alex Jensen
SEOUL
South Korea threatened to unleash its military might on North Korea on Wednesday, in the event that Pyongyang should act rashly in response to anti-North groups' activities at their tense border.
The North has repeatedly warned Seoul not to allow activists to attempt to float across balloons carrying information aimed at toppling dictator Kim Jong-un.
Pyongyang has even suggested such activities could prompt an outbreak of war - the two sides did exchange fire when the North shot at balloons launched last October.
The Koreas are technically in a state of conflict as they never signed a peace treaty at the close of the 1950-53 Korean War.
It was against this backdrop that Wednesday saw Seoul's defense ministry adopt a bullish tone.
"If North Korea provokes, using the leaflet campaigns as an excuse, our military will, as warned repeatedly, mercilessly punish not only the origin of the provocations but also forces supporting it and its commanders," an official statement cautioned.
The threat may be seen as a response to local media reports claiming that the North has been preparing to attack border areas, though the ministry did not report any unusual movements.
Seoul did recently urge activists to rein in plans to launch balloons laden with copies of controversial Hollywood movie "The Interview" in the interests of border residents' safety - suggesting security is a growing consideration despite the government's insistence on allowing freedom of expression.
Also on Wednesday, Seoul's unification ministry continued to pressure North Korea to accept its offer from last December to hold high-level talks.
A spokesperson issued the appeal at a media briefing, more than two weeks after the original proposal of a meeting to improve ties.
Since then, both Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Park Geun-hye have publicly expressed a willingness to talk face to face - but a first summit of the countries' leaders since 2007 appears to depend heavily on unlikely outcomes, such as Seoul physically stopping activists from having their say.
North Korea has however made overtures towards the U.S. with regards to a proposal to suspend nuclear tests in return for an end to military exercises between America and South Korea.
"The government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is ready to explain its intention behind its proposal directly to the United States," Pyongyang's Deputy UN ambassador An Myong Hun told reporters in a press conference at the U.N. on Tuesday.
