"I will make sure we make the North pay the price for any (future) provocations"
South Korea’s leader vowed on Monday to make North Korea “pay the price” for any future provocations, days after North Korea’s deadly artillery attack.
"I can't help expressing my anger over the North Korean regime's cruelty that ignores even the lives of children," President Lee Myung-Bak said.
I will make sure we make the North pay the price for any (future) provocations," Lee said.
It was his first nationally televised address since the North launched a hail of rockets and shells six days ago, killing two civilians and two marines on a South Korean border island.
South Koreans now know "that any more tolerance and patience will only fan bigger provocations", he said.
"The North's provocation this time is in a different level than before," Lee said. "Making a military attack on civilians is an inhumane crime banned even during wartime.
"Now is the time to take actions rather than speaking 100 words," he added.
The North's sole major ally China called Sunday for emergency consultations early next month on the crisis between chief envoys to stalled six-nation talks on Pyongyang's nuclear disarmament.
Lee, in his seven-minute speech, made no reference to China's proposal but said it is "difficult to expect the North to abandon nuclear weapons and military brinkmanship".
Meanwhile, the US and South Korea Monday began the second day of their biggest-ever naval exercise, aimed at sending a warning to the North.
The South's military said Monday's joint naval drills, far south of the tense Yellow Sea border, would focus on defense against the North's submarines and guided missiles.
"Monday's drills include a live-fire exercise by multiple aircraft from the (US aircraft carrier) George Washington, which will shoot mock targets in waters," a spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff told AFP.
"I can't help expressing my anger over the North Korean regime's cruelty that ignores even the lives of children," President Lee Myung-Bak said.
I will make sure we make the North pay the price for any (future) provocations," Lee said.
It was his first nationally televised address since the North launched a hail of rockets and shells six days ago, killing two civilians and two marines on a South Korean border island.
South Koreans now know "that any more tolerance and patience will only fan bigger provocations", he said.
"The North's provocation this time is in a different level than before," Lee said. "Making a military attack on civilians is an inhumane crime banned even during wartime.
"Now is the time to take actions rather than speaking 100 words," he added.
The North's sole major ally China called Sunday for emergency consultations early next month on the crisis between chief envoys to stalled six-nation talks on Pyongyang's nuclear disarmament.
Lee, in his seven-minute speech, made no reference to China's proposal but said it is "difficult to expect the North to abandon nuclear weapons and military brinkmanship".
Meanwhile, the US and South Korea Monday began the second day of their biggest-ever naval exercise, aimed at sending a warning to the North.
The South's military said Monday's joint naval drills, far south of the tense Yellow Sea border, would focus on defense against the North's submarines and guided missiles.
"Monday's drills include a live-fire exercise by multiple aircraft from the (US aircraft carrier) George Washington, which will shoot mock targets in waters," a spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff told AFP.
