23 November 2015•Update: 27 November 2015
By Alex Jensen
SEOUL
South Korean President Park Geun-hye highlighted the importance of an "iron-clad" defense posture Monday, which marked the fifth anniversary of North Korea’s shelling of the South’s Yeonpyeong Island.
Four South Koreans -- including two civilians -- were killed during the Nov. 23, 2010 bombardment.
The attack represented a spike in post-war tensions amid an uneasy truce between the neighbors, who never signed a peace treaty after their 1950-53 conflict.
Following suspected North Korean landmine blasts at the border this year, Seoul and Pyongyang did reach a cooperation pact on Aug. 25.
In addition to recent family reunions, the two sides are to pursue dialogue this week.
But at the risk of provoking another confrontation, the South conducted a live-fire drill close to the site of the Yeonpyeong Island attack Monday.
North Korea had warned that it would respond "mercilessly" if the exercise encroached into its territory -- not a straightforward threat considering the Koreas’ differing opinion on the actual position of their maritime border.
While Seoul was watching for any reaction from Pyongyang, a defense ministry spokesperson cautioned that the South was ready to retaliate immediately.
Strong security would be "an important basis for safeguarding South Korea’s freedom and peace as well as building healthy inter-Korean relations", Park underlined via a video message broadcast at a commemoration ceremony.
