Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ah said on Monday that South Korea is making an all-out effort to deter North Korea's nuclear provocations while calling for resolving the North Korean nuclear problem to open an era of true peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Speaking at a ceremony marking National Foundation Day in Seoul, Hwang said South Korea has strengthened its consensus on disallowing the North's nuclear program together with the United States, Japan, the European Union, China and Russia, among others.

"The United Nations has adopted the strongest-ever resolution on sanctions against North Korea and the world's major countries have successively been implementing independent sanctions against the North," said the prime minister.

"Despite strong international criticism, North Korea has conducted its fourth and fifth nuclear tests this year. The government has been making an all-out effort to counter the North's reckless nuclear threats on the basis of solid defense capabilities."

Hwang said the government will further take all possible measures to deter the North's nuclear provocations and strive for permanent peace on the peninsula. (Yonhap)