This photo, provided on Wednesday, shows Adm. Kim Myung-soo, chief of the JCS, checking a readiness posture by holding phone talks with top commanding officers at the JCS' combat control room. (JCS)
This photo, provided on Wednesday, shows Adm. Kim Myung-soo, chief of the JCS, checking a readiness posture by holding phone talks with top commanding officers at the JCS' combat control room. (JCS)

The chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Wednesday called for a seamless readiness posture against North Korea's possible provocations, stressing the need to make powerful responses if Pyongyang stages saber-rattling.

Adm. Kim Myung-soo made the call during his phone talks with commanding officers at major operational units, including the general outpost battalion commander at the Army's 25th Infantry Division and the commanding officer of the Yeonpyeong unit in charge of western border islands, according to the JCS.

"We should deter the enemy's threats with a seamless operational posture. If it stages provocations, we should strongly retaliate against them to make it regret," Kim said.

His message came amid concerns that North Korea may take advantage of the current political crisis in South Korea, triggered by President Yoon Suk's botched martial law declaration on Dec. 3, to stage major provocations. (Yonhap)