South Korea's president called on the Navy to "respond massively and without hesitation" to North Korea's provocations

South Korean President Jun Suk Jeol today called on the Navy to "respond massively and without hesitation" to any provocation by North Korea.

"If the enemy provokes us, apply the principle of 'act first,' and later report and respond decisively, massively and without hesitation to completely destroy the will of the enemy," Jun said during a visit to a marine unit on the border with North Korea.

Recently, nuclear-armed North Korea called South Korea its "main enemy," shut down organizations intended to discuss reunification between the two countries, and threatened war if South Korean forces entered "a thousandth of a millimeter" into its territory.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reiterated that Pyongyang will not hesitate to "raze to the ground" South Korea if his country is attacked.

In his words, South Korea is "the most dangerous and the first enemy".

On the occasion of the Lunar New Year today, the South Korean president visited the unit that has a multiple missile system and said that his country is "fully prepared to respond immediately in case of enemy provocation".

In addition to exchanging threatening statements, the two sides have stepped up their border security and conducted military exercises along the border in recent months.

Jun accused Pyongyang of being "unreasonable" and wanting more provocations ahead of South Korea's April 10 parliamentary elections.

South Korea's leader, who came to power promising a tougher stance on Pyongyang, hopes his conservative party will regain the parliamentary majority it lost in 2016.

North Korea carries out provocations before every election in South Korea, hoping to cause trouble in that country.