President Park Geun-hye has expressed deep regret over North Korea’s shelling near a South Korean navy ship on Thursday.
 
The president presided over a meeting on handling the North’s latest provocation at the presidential office on Friday.
 
At the meeting, she said it is deeply regretful that the North engaged in such a provocative act when the South Korean people are grieving over the sinking of the Sewol ferry. She then stressed the need to thoroughly maintain readiness against any further provocations.
 
Ministers of foreign affairs, unification, and defense, as well as deputy chiefs of the National Security Office and National Intelligence Service attended the meeting. The deputy chiefs of the security and spy agencies also took part in the meeting on behalf of the two agencies yet to name new chiefs.
  
The presidential office said Park emphasized the need to boost the South Korea-U.S. combined defense posture and maintain the close South Korea-U.S. alliance. She also stressed the need to boost cooperation with China and the international community as a way to tackle issues regarding the North.
 
Park ordered agencies to exert all-out efforts to ensure the safety of people living in the northwestern border islands in the Yellow Sea, so that they can lead their lives with a sense of security.