South Korea's top military officer visited Army units near the western border Wednesday to inspect their readiness against North Korean threats, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

JCS Chairman Gen. Kim Seung-kyum's visits to the 25th Infantry Division's headquarters in Yangju, north of Seoul, and other units came amid concerns over possible North Korean military activities in response to recent efforts from Seoul and Washington to bolster extended deterrence against Pyongyang's threats.

At the division's headquarters, Kim said North Korea is expected to carry out a provocation in a way different from the past and called for "substantive" response measures, according to the JCS.

"By responding overwhelmingly, we must leave the impression that the price of provocation is only harsh punishment," Kim was quoted as saying.

Kim also visited a front-line guard post operated by the division inside the Demilitarized Zone, which separates the two Koreas, and inspected troops preparing for seasonal operational changes. He also visited an Army air unit in charge of defending the western front area earlier in the day.

Last week, President Yoon Suk Yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden held a summit in Washington and agreed on measures to strengthen the U.S. extended deterrence commitment to South Korea, such as the deployment of a ballistic-missile submarine to the country.

Extended deterrence refers to Washington's stated commitment to using the full range of its military capabilities to defend its ally.

Source: Yonhap News Agency