South Korea vowed Monday to maintain strong military readiness against any provocations by North Korea following a recent salvo of threats from its archrival.

In the latest threat, North Korea warned Sunday that the South would "face stern punishment" unless it reverses course and creates a mood for dialogue, repeating calls for a halt to its joint military drills with the United States and sending of anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border.

In a commentary carried by the North's main newspaper Rodong Sinmun Monday, Pyongyang also claimed inter-Korean relations "stand at a crossroads and will come to a devastating end if the joint military drills are carried out."

Dismissing the North's call to halt the drills again, South Korea's defense ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok told a press briefing that "Our military maintains a watertight readiness posture to sternly respond to any provocations by North Korea and will continue to do so."

Kim urged Pyongyang to stop repeating such unilateral claims if it really wants inter-Korean relations to improve and come forward for dialogue without hesitation.

He added the military "will devise supportive measures if the inter-Korean relations move forward so as to guarantee this (amicable situation)."

Despite the North's call to stop the exercises, which Pyongyang claims are a rehearsal for a northward invasion, South Korea plans to stage Key Resolve, one of its annual major joint military exercises with the U.S., in early March as scheduled, stressing the drills are defensive in nature. (Yonhap)