Defense Minister Han Min-koo called on a counter-artillery unit to "retaliate powerfully" against any North Korean provocations during a troop visit Monday.

The trip to the multiple launch rocket system unit came as North Korea stepped up its artillery threats on Seoul. North Korea said last week it has conducted the final test-fire of a large-caliber MLRS that is ready for combat deployment.

The imminent deployment of the multiple 300-millimeter caliber rocket launching system reportedly places half of the South Korean territory within its range.

The defense ministry did not specify the counter-artillery unit Han visited, but the military started deploying locally built Chunmoo MLRS batteries with field troops in August last year.

With a maximum range of 80 kilometers, the artillery system is a key counter-artillery asset vis-a-vis North Korea's long-range artillery threats, including those from Pyongyang's MLRS units. 

"In the event of an enemy provocation, our military should retaliate powerfully and without hesitation in order to wipe out their will to launch another provocation, and make them realize a provocation will lead to self-destruction," the defense minister said. 

"The biggest mission of the military is to guard the safety and lives of the people," Han highlighted. 

Earlier in the day, defense ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun said South Korea is building up a comprehensive counter-artillery system to guard against growing threats posed by North Korea's multiple rocket launchers.  

"Against the threats from North Korea's multiple rocket launchers and long-range artillery, the military is building up a countermeasure system based on an anti-artillery warfare concept," he said in a press briefing. 

As part of these efforts, the military is developing a new attack system that puts together some of its artillery weapons like its own Chunmoo MLRS, the Army Tactical Missile System surface-to-surface missile, and the SLAM-ER air-launched cruise missiles used by the Air Force, Moon noted.

"We are making relentless efforts to upgrade the capability of the system," he said. 

The military is also running a surveillance system that integrates its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets with surveillance drones and the ARTHUR counter-artillery radar system, according to Moon.

North Korea has recently stepped up its military ante apparently to show off the progress it has made in upgrading its nuclear and missile capabilities as well as in advancing the striking power of its multiple rocket launchers and other long-range artillery systems, he said. (Yonhap)